Jewels and Crows
by Jaenera Targaryen
Summary: Rin Tohsaka and Sakura Matou...sisters set apart by fate, one to shine and the other to fall. But...there is always room for chance to muddle fate...or a certain old vampire with a reputation for causing mischief. Fate no longer rules. Jewels must contend with crows to determine who would shine, and who must fall.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own the Fate franchise it belongs to Kinoko Nasu and Type-Moon.

Jewels and Crows

Prologue

Byakuya Matou threw the glassful of brandy back, feeling the familiar burn of cheap but strong alcohol searing its way down his throat. It wasn't doing him much good really, but he'd since stopped caring.

He didn't care for much these days, whether it was his health, his image, or even what was going on around him. As long as he did what the old worm expected of him and stayed out of the way, then he was free to do as he pleased. Except there was nothing really that would please him for a long time now.

Even his son, Shinji, studying abroad at a boarding school wasn't a source of pride for him. Only envy, envy and resentment, envy, because no matter how much the boy wanted to be a magus he would never actually be one, consigning him to living an ordinary life. Though he'd never admit to it, Byakuya would take an ordinary life over the shell of existence that was his lot in life. And resentment, because it was the boy's fault that he'd lost everything.

He would have been the hope, the next generation of magi for their family. Shinji should have been the heir, but he'd been born without magic circuits, and because of it his wife had been thrown to the worms. The memories of those days and nights came back, the screams and terrible cries echoing from underground, until there was only silence.

It was worse, for she was still _alive_. Byakuya had begged, on his knees no less, for her to be put out of her misery.

The old worm had granted it. On one condition: he'd have to kill her himself.

And he did. He looked into her eyes as he snapped her neck, and saw _nothing_. She was just a shell, a puppet bereft of purpose and meaning, just a chunk of meat to be used as food and as a nest for the worms.

It was then that he stopped caring. What was the point? Each and every last one of them – except for that smart coward Kariya who ran while he could – was just a means to an end for the old worm. Even Byakuya, despite being a pathetic excuse for a magus, was of use to Zouken, even if it was only to feed the worms and do menial labour around the house. Or in the case of his son, send him away where he'd be out of the old worm's way.

Somehow, he _knew_ that eventually even Zouken would find a way to make use of Shinji. And even Kariya maybe, though given he was overseas at present he couldn't imagine how the old worm could pull that off.

He didn't try. It wasn't like he'd any chance of actually coming close to guessing how the worm could pull it off, and it's not like it would achieve anything.

Though there was still one problem left: the Matou family would die with Byakuya and Kariya. In other words, Zouken needed an heir. And he had found it.

That arrogant fool Tokiomi Tohsaka had actually agreed to Zouken's request to give him his younger daughter. Apparently, the man didn't want to see his younger daughter's potential to go to a waste, and between that and the old alliance between the Tohsaka and the Matou he'd seen nothing wrong with unknowingly sending his daughter to hell.

Byakuya didn't care. He didn't even pity the girl. It wouldn't do any good either way. He simply did what was asked of him: prepare the girl's room, and feed the worms extra to give them more energy for the first training session that night.

He'd done that now, and he once again sank into the bottle. It was the only thing that kept him going these days, given how apathetic he'd become.

The doorbell rang as he refilled his glass, and muttering curses under his breath Byakuya staggered to the door. Obviously it wasn't a mailman, they had a mailbox for that, and Zouken usually warned him if he was expecting anything or anyone. It was probably some door-to-door salesman, and Byakuya was going to run them off as usual.

He opened the door…and gaped, almost literally feeling the alcohol draining from his blood as he stared into a pair of blood-red eyes. The man was old, given the wrinkles on his face and his white hair. He was dressed typically for magi, in an anachronistic frock coat that wouldn't have been out of place in pre-WWI Europe. He leaned on a jewel-topped cane, shorter than that fool Tokiomi's.

As a mystic code it would probably crush anything and everything the Tohsaka and the Matou had put together.

"Good morning…" Kilua Zelretch Schweinorg greeted Byakuya. "…Byakuya Matou I presume? Might I ask if my old apprentice is around? I have a certain proposition to discuss with him."

* * *

Zouken Matou slid into his chair in the living room, carefully masking the trepidation from showing on his face as he faced his old master, seated opposite him. A surprisingly-sober Byakuya had been sent off to help the newly-arrived Sakura Matou he'd brought with him set up shop in her room, while Zouken dealt with one of the few people he actually feared.

And his old master was to be feared. He didn't need to use his famed Second Magic. He didn't even need to use his centuries-old jewel magecraft, far more powerful than most magecraft Association magi outside of the Barthomeloi wielded. All he needed were his claws.

Between his age, and his status as a Dead Apostle born of the Crimson Moon himself, few things could survive a physical attack from the Wizard Marshall and the Fourth Dead Apostle Ancestor.

"Master…" Zouken began. "…this is an unexpected pleasure I am honoured by your presence."

Zelretch chuckled knowingly. "Yes, I am sure you are." He said. "As it stands however I have other business to attend to, so you wouldn't mind if we cut to the chase would you? Even I who command time itself have limitations in its use."

"Yes of course." Zouken said with a nod. The sooner Zelretch's business was done, the better. His old master being who he was, nothing good could possibly come of this proposition of his. Or if there were, it would probably involve an insane degree of complexity that would only serve to amuse Zelretch and annoy Zouken.

Zouken enjoyed toying around with others as much (if not more so) as Zelretch did, but he irritably conceded inwardly that it wasn't nearly as enjoyable being toyed with.

Zelretch nodded, and with a pop of displaced air, summoned a small wooden box into his hands. Zouken arched an eyebrow as Zelretch placed it on the table between them, and opened it. Several vials of pink fluid were inside, and taking one of them Zelretch handed it to Zouken. Zouken's eyes widened as he sensed just how _profound_ the mysteries that made up the potion were.

"Where did you get this?" he asked.

"Ah…" Zelretch said with a smirk, letting Zouken know that he'd found his usual brand of amusement while getting hold of those potions. "…I have a pair of acquaintances you see. A cradle-robbing witch and her redheaded boy toy – though I imagine they'd protest quite strongly if they heard that – the former of which made those for me in exchange for my… _guarantee_ as the Wizard Marshall that those busybodies in the Clock Tower would leave them alone."

"And…?" Zouken asked. "Did it work?"

"The guarantee…?" Zelretch said with a shrug. "A couple of idiots tried to quietly ignore it. Even I don't know where I sent them, the defence system is…well, _random._ "

Zouken laughed a rare of laugh of genuine amusement. "Yes, that sounds just like you master." He said, and Zelretch laughed as well.

"Yes, I suppose it does."

"So…" Zouken asked after a moment, rolling the vial in his hand. "…what do these do, and what's the catch for me to be to use them, and more importantly _study_ them?"

"You always did have a cruel streak." Zelretch suddenly said, and Zouken froze as Zelretch's eyes flashed from red to gold. "You and Justeaze both did. What you plan in particular for that girl upstairs, is so cruel as to make even Altrouge Brunestud recoil with horror."

For several moments there was silence, and then Zelretch smiled, his eyes turning back to red. "But there are no such things as absolutes…" he said. "…even as True Magic may someday be reduced to mundane fact by the steady pace of Human advancement, that cruelty of yours that with the slow wearing of time has come to dominate you…it's not you. Not completely…"

Zelretch nodded towards the vials. "That potion grants limited immortality." He said. "With it, you'll be able to turn back the clock so to speak, to an extent. Much like the battle with the Crimson Moon did to me, time has greatly-damaged your soul. I doubt even if you use all those potions at the same time you'll be able to return to your peak. But you can and will return to a more…Human state, just like me. And if time wears away again, then you can simply take more. And I'm sure you'll have ample time to study and try to replicate the potion."

Zouken was silent, licking his lips once. If he could sweat he would. As it was, it all he could do to try and bring his thoughts under control. At long last, immortality was finally within his reach. With it, he didn't need to obsess after the Grail like Jubstacheit and Tokiomi and their ilk did. With it, he'd no need to maintain his pseudo-Dead Apostle existence. With it, he could…he could…he could…

"What's the catch?" Zouken finally asked. "That girl…Sakura, do you want her?"

"Tempting…" Zelretch said. "…that apprentice of mine would never be able to refuse a request from me again if that were the case. And certain…circumstances would undoubtedly prove to be of amusement. But no…I wouldn't want to appear…like a hero. I'm not a hero. Righting wrongs was never a driving force behind my actions. I would do the right thing, but I wouldn't go out of my way to do it."

"And yet…here you are, saving that girl from what I have in mind for her…"

Zelretch chuckled. "You truly are my student…" he said. "…but that apprentice of mine's been really loud about how indifferent I can be. Zouken…"

Zelretch paused, catching Zouken's eyes with his own. "That girl…" he said. "…train her properly. Do not mistreat her in any way, though apart from that you are free to mould her into a magus worthy of the name. And when the time comes, I'll have her existence make that holier-than-thou apprentice of mine eat her words."

Zelretch got to his feet. "I trust this is equivalent exchange for granting you your wish, my old apprentice." He said, and Zouken slowly nodded. Zelretch nodded. "Good…now remember, I am not all-powerful Zouken, but I will be watching."

There was pop of displaced air, and then Zelretch was gone. Zouken sat in silence, holding the vial in his hand while the container with the other vials sat on the table before him. Several moments later and he nodded. "If immortality is worth becoming a monster…" he said as he opened the vial and raised it to his lips. "…then it most certainly is worth training a proper magus."

* * *

Byakuya stepped into the library, looking for Zouken. He hadn't been in the living room, or in the underground and its adjoining laboratories and workshop, and given it was unlikely in the extreme he'd be in the kitchen the library was the likeliest place he'd be in.

"The girl's fixing her things." He began as he spotted Zouken's familiar kimono standing beside a bookshelf. "I suppose I should leave her alone before tonight's…"

Byakuya trailed off, staring at Zouken. It was Zouken he had the same clothes, the same cane, the same _presence_ and even the same brooding expression on his face. Only…he looked _Human_. Where he'd been bald, he now had swept back white hair with hints of violet towards the edges, and where his eyes had once been opaque orbs of black they were now…normal, except for the violet irises rare among most people. And his skin…it actually looked a healthy shade for an old man, instead of the sickly grey it would normally appear as.

"My master and I have reached an agreement." Zouken said without preamble. "The girl will be trained, but along… _orthodox_ lines. I will personally oversee it."

Zouken pulled out a book from a shelf, and made to leave. As he stepped past Byakuya he paused, and glanced coldly at his 'son' from the corner of his eyes. "Do try and keep your drinking and attitude under control." He said. "That girl is worth more than your life. If your vices spill onto her, I will make you pay."

Byakuya swallowed and nodded, and without a word Zouken left. He made his way up the stairs and down the corridors to where his new granddaughter was fixing her room. She was as to be expected, a forlorn little thing, silently arranging her clothes and what other personal effects she brought with her.

Zouken knocked on the open door, and the little girl jumped before turning around to face him. She blinked and visibly swallowed. For a few moments Zouken and Sakura stared at each other in silence, and then Zouken sighed.

 _I am not used to giving positive reinforcement, but I suppose it's…inevitable in a situation like this._

"Sakura…" he began while stepping into the room. He stopped a short distance from her before sinking down to a knee. "…I do not expect us to become familiar all at once. However, I do hope that at least, we can work together and in time, get to know each other better. Is that alright?"

Slowly, the girl nodded, and Zouken smiled. That smile faded as he got to his feet. "I assume your…that is Tohsaka did not teach you even the basics of magecraft?" he asked.

Sakura shook her head. "I…I know it exists but f…Tohsaka-san never taught me more than that." She said softly.

 _Figures…in other orthodox families any child worth bargaining away or even as a spare would be taught at least the basics. That arrogant fool Tokiomi takes things to the letter too much._

"I see." Zouken said, and then extended the book towards her. "Very well, I want you to read this and to understand as much as you can. By week's end, we'll review what you've learned and then we'll start on your training. Understood…?"

Sakura nodded as she took the book, and with a hesitant ruffle of her hair Zouken hobbled away. "Um…" a hesitant beginning from Sakura stopped him in his footsteps. "…sorry, but who are you?"

Zouken smirked, predicting what the girl's reaction would be. "You may address me as grandfather." He said, his smirk growing at the thunderstruck expression on her face. "Impressive what magic can do, no?"

Sakura nodded, still in shock at how much his appearance had changed from earlier, and with a chuckle Zouken left. No doubt the girl would have her curiosity sparked, and from there it would begin.

 _I'll have to redo my methods from scratch, but even if I have to use soft methods to do it, I'll turn that girl into a magus worth the Matou name._

* * *

A/N

I rewrote it because the original was giving me writer's block to continue.

Yes, those are Caster's (Medea's) potions. It should be quite obvious who her (Medea's) 'boy toy' is, and who Zelretch's 'holier-than-thou' apprentice is.


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own the Fate franchise it belongs to Kinoko Nasu and Type-Moon.

Jewels and Crows

Chapter 1

" _Well then, I shall be leaving."_

 _The little girl nodded, holding out her hand as a jewelled pendant was gently dropped into it. She looked up at her father, and then giggling leaned into her father's hand as he ruffled her hair. And then with a smile he turned and left down the road._

 _Rin Tohsaka stared after him with a wistful expression on her face, holding his personal journal and the jewel he had entrusted to her chest. The afternoon breeze blew, sending leaves flying in the light of the red setting Sun._

" _Even back then…" her thoughts echoed in sleep. "…I knew he would never return. He was fighting a war after all, not a war between nations, but a war between seven magi."_

"Rin…" a voice intruded into her consciousness, and her closed eyes twitched. "…Rin, please wake up, Rin."

Nine year-old Rin Tohsaka blinked herself awake, and Aoi Tohsaka smiled as her daughter righted herself, having slumped on an armrest while asleep. "We're about to land."

"Oh right…" Rin said, rubbing at an eye while fastening her seatbelt. She looked out the First Class cabin's window, at the British landscape below as their British Airways flight made its final approach to Heathrow Airport. Despite herself Rin couldn't help but wonder how something so huge and heavy like an airplane could fly without the use of magic.

Science was behind it of course, as it was behind most achievements of the modern era. As such Rin set the wonder aside, trying to keep a proper magus perspective. Modern implements were mere tools, crude ones lacking the elegance of magic, and only to be used when no magical alternative was available.

And without the ability to simply teleport to London, an airplane was the only recourse for a trip around the world from Japan to Britain. Privately, Rin wondered if she could obtain a broom flight device from the Magic Foundation in the future.

 _I should write that down somewhere. Even if mother wouldn't be able to use it herself, it would reduce my dependency on modern tools to an extent._

Rin sat back, feeling the shifting of air pressure as the plane's altitude dropped. A whispered word and the discomfort it would normally cause eased for her and her mother. Aoi glanced at Rin who winked at her mother.

Aoi chuckled and patted her on the head. "My clever little girl…" she said, and Rin preened at the praise. A few more minutes later and with a jolt their plane landed and began to taxi towards the terminal.

As the plane approached the terminal and the safety lights came off, Rin and Aoi unbuckled their safety belts. "Are we here?" Rin asked by pure reflex, and then silently cursed herself for her lack of self-control. Of course they were here there was no need for such a stupid question. If her father was there he'd probably have chided her for doing so.

Not so with her mother, Aoi just nodding at her. "Yes…" she said as the plane stopped and the boarding tube extended towards the plane. "…we're in London."

* * *

The house they'd be renting for the summer was a small, two-storey affair. There were four bedrooms on the second floor, while the ground floor had a foyer, which led into the living room (which also included the staircase leading to the upper floor), which led to the dining room and the adjoining kitchen. It was located in the suburbs, about half-an-hour's trip from the Clock Tower.

That was the important part, given the only reason they were in London was for Rin to take additional Thaumaturgy classes during summer, given the limitations of Kirei's ability to instruct her in magecraft.

Rin set down her heavy bags in her room. One carried her clothes and other personal effects, while the other carried her magical effects: jewellery, notes and books, even a few mystic codes. She set aside her clothes for later, and opening her second bag withdrew several gems, an iron-infused stick of chalk, and a notebook.

Flipping through it until she found what she was looking for, she then went to the kitchen to find her mother writing down what she needed to buy at the supermarket later. "Mother…" Rin said. "…I'm going to be setting down bounded fields for the house in the living room, alright?"

"Alright…"

Rin nodded and walked back to the living room, pushed back the coffee table and slid aside the carpet before kneeling down. Using reinforcement and breathing exercises, she steadied her hand, and then inscribed her magic circle on the floor with iron-infused chalk.

First, she drew two concentric circles to represent the world. Five circles were inscribed over the circles at five equidistant points, each bearing the alchemical symbol for one each of the five elements. Single-count arias were then inscribed in the spaces in-between, to invoke all five elements simultaneously. Lines were drawn connecting the five circles with each other and with other circles drawn inside the main circles, each of these bearing more alchemical symbols for other concepts.

Once she was finished with the magic circle, Rin stood up, and made a final check. Satisfied, she picked up her notebook, and then taking the gems from earlier left the house.

She went to the property's corners, where she carefully and discreetly coated each of the gems with her blood (courtesy of a bitten finger) before burying them in the ground. She then went back into the house, and standing just behind the edge of her magic circle allowed her blood to drip onto it. It began to glow, and taking a deep breath Rin began to cast a ten-count aria to set down the bounded field.

The circle flashed with every syllable, and as she finished the tenth line it flashed and a glowing mirror image of the circle rose up into the air to about waist height. It stayed there several seconds, its glow building as it drew in mana before abruptly expanding outward and distorting itself to cover the property as defined by Rin's gems from earlier. It flashed once and then vanished, the bounded field set.

That was just one bounded field though, and Rin needed more. It was just a 'declaration' of the defined space as her territory, and helping anchor other bounded fields she would set over it. Swallowing a gem to replenish her reserves, Rin again allowed her blood to drip over the circle to restart the ritual.

Together with the first field, Rin set up five bounded fields over each other. The second field was a detection one, to detect intrusion within the territory. The third was identification: it would identify greater potential threats (Humans – whether magical or not – and familiars) and warn her, while recording lesser potential threats (ordinary animals and the like) for later perusal at will.

The fourth field was an active defensive measure, which she could activate at will. It worked on the air element, increasing air pressure to paralyze individuals by default, and she could increase and reduce it at will to release them, knock them unconscious, or even crush them to death.

 _She hoped it would never come to that, for while she knew magi should neither fear death nor to deliver it, she never wanted to do the latter._

The fifth field was also an active defensive measure, which could also be activated at will. It was more vicious though, being a disintegrator field that worked on the fire element, triggering out of control thermal vibrations on a target's molecules and causing them to literally explode at the molecular level.

The concepts of this last bounded field were particularly complex, and as she cast the spell Rin wondered if she was getting too big for her shoes. Despite using a gem to replenish her reserves every time she set down a field, her vision grew hazy as she set down the last field.

Swaying drunkenly as the glow died down, Rin shakily raised a gem to her lips. She wanted two more fields over those already set down, and then she'd need to place seals on the property to further anchor her defences.

The gem fell to the ground from suddenly-nerveless fingers, and Rin dully felt her knees connect with the ground. She dully registered the ground getting closer and closer, and her mother's shout of alarm behind her.

And then there was nothing.

* * *

Rin slowly blinked herself awake, feeling warm covers wrapped over her like a nest. She remembered what happened, and abruptly sat up, only to double-over and clutching at the piercing pain filling her head.

"Don't push yourself." She heard her mother say, and Rin turned her head to the door. Aoi was standing there, carrying a covered tray. Despite the cover, Rin could smell hot, freshly-cooked soup and bread. Her stomach rumbled at the scent, and Rin blushed and looked away.

Through her bedroom window she could see that it was well and deep into the evening. Aoi stepped into the room, carefully setting down the tray at the bedside table. A gentle twist of a knob, and the bedside lamp was on, throwing warm, gentle light into the room.

"Sorry…" Rin apologized as her mother uncovered her food. "…I pushed myself too much earlier."

"Yes you did." Aoi said softly, placing a towel over Rin's lap and then placing the tray on it. She then sat down on the bed beside her daughter, watching in silence as Rin ate her dinner. Cream of mushroom soup and bread, hot and filling, enough for Rin to sleep well at night and recover from her exertions.

"Don't rush Rin…" Aoi eventually said. "…just take your time."

"Yes…" Rin said with a nod. "…I'll get indigestion if I do…"

"It's not that."

Rin blinked, and then fell silent. "It's not about earlier either." Aoi said hesitantly. "It's just that…"

"Mother…?" Rin ventured as her mother trailed off.

"Rin, you're only nine years old." Aoi said with a note of concern. "And here you are, about to take classes at the Clock Tower."

"I have to be the best that I can be." Rin said softly. "Father asked me to, and I want to be the best myself. And so I'd like to take what opportunities I can get. Kirei-san can only teach me so much, and it's not like I've anything to do in summer…"

"And then what…?" Aoi interrupted. "When you become the best that you can be, then what…?"

"I…I'll need a family of my own. Father did say I have to carry on the family legacy after all. Both as a magus and…"

"Is that so?" Aoi interrupted mournfully. Rin blinked.

"Mother…?"

"No, it's nothing." Aoi said with a sigh and a bittersweet smile. "It seems that you're really your father's daughter, aren't you?"

Rin stared and then Aoi sighed again and shook her head. "Finish your dinner." She said. "And then go to bed early. No more magic for tonight, alright? You can't be the best if you keep going too far and straining your body like this."

That made sense, and Rin nodded her agreement. "Yes mother." She said, and Aoi smiled.

Still, there was a sense of bittersweet wistfulness there.

* * *

Rin Tohsaka stood before the Clock Tower bureaucrat, who was staring at her over his linked hands. She didn't let any emotion, any _weakness_ show on her face, despite a lingering sensation of weakness from yesterday's exertions.

 _Ugh…I really went too far yesterday. I should put off completing what I started for a couple of days. What's there should be enough for starters._

"Well Miss Tohsaka…" the man finally said. "…your credentials are certainly impressive for your age and background."

"Thank you very much."

"However here at the Clock Tower you will find that your current level is fairly average." The man continued without breaking a beat. "I understand that you wish to achieve the most of your potential, is it not?"

"Yes."

"Then we shall high expectations of you, Rin Tohsaka." The man said, sitting back on his chair. "An Average One with high magical potential…you will find plenty of doors opening for you with such qualifications, but only _if_ you are able to make the most of them. And to do that you will need to put more effort than you've apparently been putting into your training."

"I understand."

"Very well…" the man said, opening a drawer and withdrawing a file. "…here is your assignment for the next few months that you will be here. I would also advise that you keep in mind that you may wish to spend more than just summer months here in the Clock Tower, at least until you have achieved a certain degree of recognition appropriate for your talents and background."

"I will keep that in mind."

The man smiled coldly. "Then you may go." He said. Rin bowed and left.

 _More effort into my training…? That's easier said than done: gems are expensive and money doesn't grow on trees. And I have ordinary school on top of things. Summer class at the Clock Tower is the best I can do…though maybe I can spend a few years here after high school. It'll be just like college._

 _I'll have to talk to mother about this._

* * *

"An Oriental…? Humph…those yellow monkeys are getting too ambitious for their own good."

"She's a Tohsaka though. You know, one of the three founders of the Heaven's Feel contest…? And if I remember right, one of her ancestors was an apprentice of the Wizard Marshall."

"Oh? That sounds interesting. Maybe she isn't just another yellow monkey. Let's see what she can do."

" _Yellow monkey…_ " Rin seethed at the whispered gossip she could hear from her classmates, though she kept it from showing on her face. " _…what does that make you then, a hairless ape?_ "

She blinked, copying down in her notes what the instructor was righting on the chalkboard and his explanations about basic metaphysical elemental theory, specifically its relationship with elemental properties and their use on a conceptual level as opposed to pure elemental magecraft. Most of the class were her age, though a few were either a year older or younger than she was.

And from the sound of things, the whispers were coming from the former category, a pair of older boys with marked high-class accents. " _No surprise then…_ " she thought darkly as the bells rang and the instructor finished his lecture and gave them an essay to write. " _…that they'd be looking down on me for being Japanese. I'll show them._ "

As she began gathering her things, a pair of girls approached her seat. "Can I help you?" Rin asked politely.

 _If they're here to make fun of me, then they're in for a surprise._

"Not really…" one of them said. "…my name's Hannah Kingsley, and this is Louise Pickles."

"Pickles…?" Rin echoed blankly, and Louise sighed.

"Yes, pickles." The girl replied. "Apparently way, way back my family made a living out of making and selling pickles, which is how we got our name. At least that's what my grandfather says. Still, I'd prefer it if you'd call me by name, and not 'Miss Pickles'. I get enough of that with the instructors around here."

"Fain enough…" Rin said. "…so, what do you want with me? I'm sure you've been hearing what some of our classmates were saying…"

Rin trailed off, and took a deep breath. "Sorry…" she said. "…it's just that…I've been studying as a magus for as long as I can remember, I go around the world to learn what I can't on my own, and then I run into something like that. It's been a…tiring morning."

"It's alright." Hannah said. "And I can sympathize: my mother's Indian after all."

"Really…?" Rin asked blankly, and then cursed inwardly at how that sounded. Hannah only giggled, and then pulled out her wallet and from it a picture. She showed it to Rin, who saw an obviously-Indian woman standing beside a British man and Hannah. "Your parents and you…?"

"That's right."

"I see…sorry about that, I could have said it better."

Hannah giggled again. "We're still children." She said. "We're supposed to act like children, at least when we're not expected to act like who we're not yet."

"That's true." Rin said with a chuckle of her own, and Hannah nudged Louise.

"What, oh…" Louise said and coughed. "…as for me I'm just a fourth-generation magus, so I can't really judge others. I get enough of that from people like Kingston and Huxley."

"Those two boys who were talking the loudest…?"

"That's them." Louise said with a scowl. By now the classroom was empty, so they could talk as loud as they can. "Kingston's father is a lord, and Huxley's grandfather is a baronet. They think it makes them better or something."

"Still, it's probably best we avoid them then." Hannah said. "I've said it before and I've said it again. Their families are not people we should be making enemies of, given we're just ordinary magi."

"Keeping our heads down…" Rin murmured. "…a part of me thinks that's like giving in to them, but on the other hand, that's probably the smart thing to do."

The other girls nodded, and Rin sighed. "So what now?" she asked.

"Would you like to join us for lunch?" Hannah asked as they made to leave the classroom. "Unless you have something planned already…"

Rin thought for a moment. On one hand, she only just met these people. Also, the paranoid part of her wondered if this was just some trick to get her to lower her guard. On the other hand, they seemed sincere enough, and well…she was rather lonely. She had no real friends, even back in Japan, largely because as a magus she found it difficult to connect with ordinary people.

She made her decision.

 _I'll give them a chance._

"Sure, where do you want to eat?"

* * *

"I see." Aoi remarked as Rin told her of her new acquaintances. "It's nice to see you're getting along with others, well two, but still, be careful."

"I know." Rin said. Her parents and Kirei had always warned her that many magi were greedy and _might_ want to take advantage of her, at best by stealing her and her family's secrets and at worst by placing her under geis. "But they seem nice enough and…"

Rin trailed off, and Aoi glanced at her. Rin's face was carefully blank, but there was a familiar hint to her eyes. Aoi had seen it before, in the mirror.

 _I'm not the only one who's lonely in this family. Tokiomi…why? Was this…was this decision…really the best for them? Our family…?_

"I'm not saying you shouldn't make friends." Aoi said gently. "If you think you can trust them, then its fine."

"Really…?"

"Yes."

Rin smiled and Aoi smiled back. The older woman looked around and spotted an ice cream stand in the park across the street. "Do you want some ice cream?" she asked her daughter. "There's an ice cream stand over there. After that we can just sit down and rest for a bit in the park."

"Okay."

Mother and daughter crossed the street, and made their way for the ice cream stand across the park. A dark-haired man was there in front of the counter, paying for a pair of ice cream cones. Something about the man seemed familiar…

The man took the cones, said his thanks, and turned. Eyes went wide.

"Kariya…?" Aoi said in surprise.

"Uncle…?" Rin said at the same time.

"Aoi…? Rin…?" Kariya said, blood draining from his face. "W-what are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing." Aoi replied, and Kariya fumbled.

"Well…I…I'm buying ice cream."

"Obviously…" Aoi replied. "…who is the other for? No, don't answer that. She's here isn't she, Sakura?"

Kariya fumbled, clearly uncomfortable with the situation. Rin however immediately ran off to look for her sister. "Rin…!" Aoi shouted after her.

"She'll be fine." Kariya said with a sigh, and then he spotted an elderly couple coming their way. "This area's a safe part of town, and we're in the way."

"What? Oh…sorry…!" Aoi said with a bow to the elderly couple who returned her apologies with benign smiles and nods. She followed her old friend and accepted the offered ice cream cone. "Wait, isn't this?"

"Eh, I'll just buy another two for Rin and Sakura when they get here." Kariya said with a shrug. "Sakura's around here somewhere, following the birds around."

"Birds…?" Aoi echoed, and Kariya pointed at one of the big black crows Londoners were so proud of. "She's following the ravens around? Why?"

"Sorry but I can't say." Kariya said. "She'd get angry at me if I did."

"Studying them for magic?"

"I say neither yes nor no." Kariya said with a wink and a smile. Aoi couldn't help it: she laughed.

"Okay I'll leave it at that." She said. "So I assume Sakura's also here for additional classes?"

"Additional classes…?" Kariya echoed in disbelief. "Rin…? I know that with Tokiomi dead her training isn't as good as it can be, but seeing as Tokiomi had an apprentice of his own I assumed she was keeping up with her expected level."

"She is." Aoi confirmed with a nod. "But in her own words, she wants to be the best she can be. So she pushes herself beyond her limits, looking for any chance she can take to go further than she already has. Her father would be proud."

Kariya scowled at that but didn't say anything. Tokiomi's pride and approval was worth nothing to him, considering he was quite fine with throwing Sakura away and probably knew at least _some_ of what Zouken was planning for her. It had taken _Zelretch_ 's intervention to force Zouken to train Sakura properly…and in an orthodox fashion.

 _I wonder though if the 'cure' has its own adverse side-effects. Zelretch has a reputation for mischief. The old man said he made a deal with Zelretch…Zelretch…what are you planning you old vampire?_

"She's only nine years-old." Kariya said instead. "I understand that…she has to be a magus…but still, she should be able to enjoy some of her childhood."

"I told her that too." Aoi said sadly. "But it seems…that she's too set on the course her father laid out for her."

Kariya was silent, and Aoi smiled. "She's made a start at getting friends in the Clock Tower…" she said. "…so it's not that bad. And Sakura's also here for advanced classes…pot calling the kettle black?"

"I never said Sakura was here for advanced classes." Kariya said. "Zouken just brought her along while he's submitting some research data to the Clock Tower. And in any case she needed check-ups."

"Check-ups…?" Aoi echoed in alarm. "What for…?"

Kariya looked angry. "Alchemical augmentation…" he replied to Aoi's horror. Alchemical augmentation was painful and dangerous. "…she needed the water element to better use the Matou mysteries, so last year Zouken offered to take her here and have the Clock Tower's alchemists augment her with a water affinity. _She agreed_."

That was one sore spot Kariya had with the current situation. Sakura…she'd lost her innocence. She had become a magus, burying her nose in the lore of the Matou family as early as his return during the Fourth Holy Grail War. And then the previous year, Zouken made his offer, and to his horror she agreed.

She agreed to have her body and soul tampered with for more power. It might not be the same as getting used as a nest for worms, but in many ways it was no different.

"What kind of side-effects are we talking about here?" Aoi asked.

"Periodic migraines, nosebleeds every so often, low stamina…Zouken was furious." Kariya replied. "The alchemists said there would be no long-term side-effects but it's been a year now, and he's threatened to flay them alive in a duel if they didn't find a way to correct the issues."

"And…?"

"I don't know." Kariya replied. "The alchemists patched her up a few days ago, and we've yet to see results. We'll probably be here for the whole of summer."

"I see. That's good."

"Do you really think so?" Kariya answered, and she glanced at him before looking away with a mix of sadness and shame.

 _She shouldn't be like that._

"I'd like to think so." She said softly.

* * *

"Sakura…!" Rin shouted as she ran across the park. "Sakura…! Where are you? Sakura…!"

A number of other people in the park glanced in Rin's direction with a mix of curiosity and annoyance at her ruckus, and she slowed to a halt, breathing heavily and trying to calm down. " _Calm down, calm down…_ " she mentally told herself. " _…running and shouting around aimlessly like this won't solve anything._ "

She took a deep breath and looked around. In the end she decided to simply follow the walkway, confident that she's eventually find her sister like this. After all, wasn't Uncle Kariya buying ice cream for Sakura? She should be someplace close.

Despite what she told herself Rin found herself growing impatient as she followed the park's paths, looking for any sign of her sister. " _Where is she?_ " she thought.

Silently, she continued the search. She knew they weren't supposed to interact with each other, that was the agreement when she'd been given away to become the Matou heiress…but they were sisters! Blood sisters in fact…!

There should be nothing between them!

Nothing…

 _Father…_

Sighing as shame filled her at the mental recrimination she sent her father's memory's way, Rin nearly missed the presence of a bounded field nearby. She glanced sharply in its direction, her eyes following the path around a corner defined by high hedges. The path split, one continuing onwards and the other heading for a sitting area around a large fountain.

As she approached she spotted a girl in dark-coloured clothes sitting on the ground, her back turned towards Rin. A lock of silver that stood out against dark-coloured hair was tucked back behind an ear, and Rin wondered. Sakura's hair was a dark, rich brown, much like their mother's. Apart from the silver lock, this girl's hair was the same colour…

…what was she doing anyway?

Rin tried looking around the girl, but couldn't see much. She could see though that every so often the girl's arms worked in slight motions, clearly busy with something. Whatever it was, it was clear from the bounded field – which Rin recognized as meant to 'nudge' ordinary people to leave and forget anything unusual – that the girl was using magic.

Rin might not want to look like a busybody, but bounded field or not magic shouldn't be used in the open like this. "Excuse me…" she began as she stepped over the threshold. "…but I don't think…"

She stopped speaking abruptly. The moment she passed the threshold the girl jolted in surprise, the motion sending the ravens that had been in front of her flying off in alarm. The girl turned towards Rin with obvious annoyance on her face, only for two matching pairs of blue eyes to widen in shock and surprise.

"Rin…?"

"Sakura…?"

"What are you doing here?"

* * *

A/N

Just because she's not getting thrown to the worms, it doesn't mean that Kariya is happy over Sakura still becoming a magus.


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own the Fate franchise it belongs to Kinoko Nasu and Type-Moon.

Jewels and Crows

Chapter 2

" _A magus is a seeker of truth." Sakura Matou said, reading aloud the first page of her notes. "He seeks knowledge of the mysteries of the world, and by knowing he gains the power to perform miracles. But each mystery is but one piece of the truth, which is greater in scope than either Humanity or the World."_

 _Zouken Matou stood silent, his back to Sakura while looking out of the Matou library's windows. "Therefore the magus would seek to be greater than the former, and to go beyond the limitations of the latter." Sakura continued. "For only by going beyond both can he fully grasp the truth: the Root, Akasha, and the Origin of All Things. But the truth will test the magus, to determine whether or not they can grasp the infinite in its entirety. Those who can shall achieve absolute existence, so great that the limitations of the World cannot endure it. Those who cannot shall return to the World bearing what reflections of the truth they can grasp. But such reflections are greater than the mysteries of the World, for where the latter are merely pieces of the truth, the former reflect it in its entirety. Such is the Power From Beyond the Skies, that which lesser men call sorcery or True Magic."_

 _Sakura paused briefly, but when Zouken didn't reply she continued. "Five sorceries there are…" she said. "…the beginning first that changed everything, the following second that acknowledged many, the resulting third showed the future, the linking fourth concealed itself, and the final fifth had already lost its meaning."_

" _Enough…" Zouken said, finally turning to face Sakura. Sakura stopped, lowering her notes and looking on in silence as Zouken closed the distance between them. The old man and the child stared at each other, and then Zouken smiled and sighed._

" _Plagiarism is the first rule of scholarship, I acknowledge that much." He said. "However understanding what you have learned, regardless of the means it was gained with is what matters. Do you understand?"_

 _Sakura nodded slowly. "Tell me Sakura…" Zouken began. "…in one sentence, what is a magus?"_

" _He is a seeker of truth."_

" _And what is the truth?"_

" _The truth is the Origin of All Things."_

" _And what is it to a magus?"_

" _It is their goal."_

" _And what is a magus' purpose?"_

 _Sakura blinked and hesitated. "He seeks to…he seeks the truth…" she said, and Zouken shook his head._

" _No…" he said. "…that is the magus' goal yes, but that is the not his purpose. I suppose a better way to phrase the question would be: what is the purpose behind the magus' pursuit of the truth?"_

 _Sakura briefly flicked through her notes. "The pursuit of the truth is a long and terrible journey…" she read. "…hardship, dismay, and failure are its result more often than success and triumph, and the magus understands this. He understands that until he achieves the truth, he is still Human, and will never fully transcend the limitation until he reaches it. For this reason, the magus would seek to pass on his knowledge to his own blood, for them to carry on his work should he fall before Human frailty and mortality. Only by their shared blood and legacy shall he taste final triumph, when those in whose veins flows his blood attains the truth."_

" _Um…" Sakura fumbled, fidgeting and scratching her head while trying to make sense of what she copied down. "…the magus seeks the truth for his family and…"_

" _That is a lie." Zouken interrupted while beginning to pace. "All magi say it, and indeed it is expected of them. But it is still a lie regardless, albeit one with a grain of truth. Magi do indeed seek to honour their family legacy by carrying on the work of past generations, and if they cannot finish it in their lifetimes, pass it on to the next. But that is just a façade, a spark of truth to give life to the lie."_

 _Zouken stopped his pacing. "Should you ask magi why they seek the truth…" he said without looking at her. "…and should they answer the bare truth, you will find that their purpose varies from person to person. As you yourself copied down, magi are still Humans. In many ways Humans are just like sheep, but in more ways they all have their personal desires and needs. Magi too possess this characteristic."_

 _Sakura was silent, staring at Zouken. Zouken glanced at her and raised an eyebrow. "You have a question, child?" he asked with a smile. "Ask, and I will answer if I can."_

 _Sakura blushed, and fidgeted on her feet. "W-what's your purpose…?" she asked._

 _Zouken blinked, and did not answer at once. His eyes softened, looking far away, memories of a woman's soft mocking voice and silver hair gleaming in the Moonlight flashing through his mind. "Justeaze…" he whispered, and then he briefly closed his eyes with a smile. And then opening them, looked down at Sakura. "…I wanted to make her sacrifice mean something."_

" _Her…?"_

" _Ask me again when you are older…" Zouken said. "…and I'll tell you all about the most wonderful woman I have ever met."_

 _Sakura blinked at that, and Zouken chuckled before shaking his head. "And now that I've answered your question, won't you answer mine?" he asked._

" _Y-yes…! Of course…!"_

" _What is your purpose for seeking the truth, or rather, why have you become a magus?"_

 _Sakura blinked. "T-that's…" she fumbled. "…that's…my…my…Tohsaka-san…I was…I became the heiress of the Matou family, because no one else can. That is my…"_

" _That is a lie." Zouken said, kneeling down to Sakura's level. "Tell me Sakura, and be honest: how do you really feel about your_ _ **true**_ _father's decision?"_

" _I…I…"_

 _Sakura fell silent, her face falling to look at the ground. Zouken stayed silent as well, watching as turmoil flickered over the girl's face._

 _I have to go…?_

 _Yes…from then on, you won't be Sakura Tohsaka anymore, but Sakura Matou._

 _Sakura…Matou…?_

 _Yes, Sakura Matou..._

 _But I…_

 _Don't worry. I'm sure…father…father is never wrong. That's why I'll believe you'll be just fine. And besides, you'll be a magus too, just like me._

 _Onee-chan, I…_

 _Sakura…let's promise…that someday we can meet each other again. And when we do, we'll show each other what we've learned, alright?_

…

 _Sakura…?_

 _Okay…_

 _Zouken smiled inwardly as something sparked inside those blue eyes, and small hands clenched into fists. "I…I'm not surprised." Sakura finally said. "But…I also…don't mind."_

" _Oh?" he responded. "That's a rather strange thing to say, child. Why is that?"_

" _I'm not surprised father threw me away…" Sakura answered softly. "…because it's not like father…Tokiomi-san…ever wanted me anyway."_

 _Zouken blinked at that. That was a surprise. "What?" he asked._

" _Tokiomi-san is a magus." Sakura said, unable to meet Zouken's eyes. "He only needs one child. Any more…like me…would be useless. That's why he threw me away isn't it? That's why I'm here."_

 _Zouken smiled. "A rather brutal way to say it, but I suppose I cannot deny it either." he said. Sakura didn't reply at once, but eventually, slowly, she nodded._

" _Yes." She said, and Zouken laughed._

" _So now we go back to my earlier question: why have you, why would you become a magus?" he asked. "And with it, the question: why don't you mind?"_

" _I'm not useless." Sakura answered, finally meeting Zouken's eyes. "I'll become a magus, and I'll show them who's useless! I'll be better than any of them, Rin and Tokiomi-san!"_

" _Such is your purpose." Zouken agreed with a nod. "It is to go further than any other, to climb higher than others, and to be stronger than all others."_

 _Sakura didn't reply, simply looking away, her eyes hard but her face hinting at inner turmoil._

" _And that is why you do not mind coming here." Zouken continued. "There, you will always be second-best, always in the shadow of your sister's talents. No matter what you do, you will be judged according to her example. And you will never be allowed to compete with her as a magus. Here, you will have the chances you want. You will have the chance to show your talents, to set your own example, and to become a magus equal to your sister, if not greater!"_

 _Zouken paused, watching as Sakura continued to look away. "Are you angry at yourself for being jealous?" Zouken asked. "Don't be. You're only Human. All magi are, until they either reach the Root or become monsters or immortals."_

 _Sakura looked at him in surprise, and Zouken shook his head. He'd said too much it seemed. "Remember well Sakura…" he said while placing a hand on her shoulder. "…if you want to be stronger, to go further, and to climb higher than your sister first and others more later on, you will need power. Without power you can do nothing. You will be nothing without it. It takes many forms: wealth, influence, even friends and acquaintances…but as a magus your first and greatest power is the miracles you can wield."_

 _Zouken paused and rose to his feet. "Power is knowledge incarnate." He said. "Knowledge is the essence of the truth. And truth is what a magus seeks. So tell me Sakura, do you still wish to be a magus?"_

 _Sakura looked down again, staying silent for several moments. Her hands clenched and unclenched several times, and she bit her lip. Finally she sighed and looked up._

" _Yes."_

Blue eyes flickered open, and Sakura Matou came awake. "A dream…?" she whispered, her body lying motionless in bed, stiff and aching from the knives and needles and other implements of the alchemists during the previous afternoon as they further refined the concepts grafted to her soul. "That was…three years ago now…"

Blinking several times, she pushed herself to a sitting position with several hisses of pain, sending prana flaring through her crest and circuits to help force her nerves into activity. The familiar surge of fiery heat searing through her body cut through the aches and stiffness, and the eight year-old magus slipped out of her bed, and staggered to her feet.

A year ago, after the first alchemical treatments, using her crest would probably have given her a migraine, probably even a nosebleed. Now, everything felt normal. The alchemists did their job right this time, it seemed. Her grandfather would be pleased.

" _Though we'll probably be sticking around for the whole summer for observation…_ " Sakura thought as she walked to her curtains and flicked them open. She squinted at the morning light flooding her hotel room, and blinking her eyesight back walked over to where she kept her clothes. " _…well grandfather has other business at the tower, and I have research to do anyway, so I don't mind._ "

* * *

"What?" Zouken asked as he sat eating breakfast with Sakura at the hotel restaurant. "You want to go through the general archives? What for…?"

"Anatomy…" Sakura replied while buttering her toast. "…bird anatomy…"

"I see…" Zouken said with a nod. "…so you've chosen birds as your familiars."

"You said I should choose differently." Sakura replied defensively.

"So I did." Zouken agreed. She'd discovered the family's preference for worms early on, though Zouken had steered her away from familiars until recently, preferring to wait until she'd achieved adeptness in the basic forms of magecraft before opening that subject further. And while she'd gained a basic degree of control over the worms, it was…less than any previous Matou magus of previous generations would have shown at her current level.

There was a reason for that of course: Sakura had never been _engraved_ with the proper mysteries. And Zouken didn't dare do so, not without risking his newfound immortality to his would be-irate master. On a lighter note, his published findings from his study of the potions provided by Zelretch – while nowhere near halfway through to a level that would allow replication – were allowing for a resurgence of his influence and image in the Clock Tower.

But as it stood, orthodox training methods could only do so much to allow Sakura to control the family familiars. But while rebuilding their mysteries to allow for full control without _engraving_ would actually be quite simple to accomplish, Zouken had decided to take a different route to solving the problem.

He would allow Sakura to choose her own familiars, and provide her with the concepts and principles behind the family's familiar magecraft. Let her overhaul them, and while he'd provide oversight and advice, she would have a generally-free hand in doing so. This way she'd didn't need to be engraved, and by having her overhaul the family mysteries along the way she would gain an in-depth understanding of the theory and application of the family magecraft, all the while giving him more time to focus on his personal research.

"And the reasoning behind your choice?" he asked.

"Like insect swarms large bird flocks can inflict horrendous amounts of damage…" Sakura replied. "…while remaining economical in terms of prana in large numbers. Also, bird flocks aren't that unusual a sight, compared to large packs of dogs or other animals, or even insects for that matter. I mean, the worms do evolve into winged, venomous insects for heavy attack, don't they?"

Zouken nodded, and Sakura continued. "Birds can also fly higher than insects…" She said. "…and have proportionately-better senses. That should come in handy when it comes to spying."

"And you also want to fly don't you?" Zouken said with a smirk, and Sakura looked away with a slight flush. "Well your reasoning is sound, though you'll have to find an appropriate bird species to make the best of them. Some are too big or would be…unusual to have flying in large groups like falcons or eagles. Others like parakeets…well they'd also fall into the second category too. And they'd have to be prolific if you want to build a flock quickly or to recover losses quickly, which could be problematic with the larger species."

"I understand." Sakura said with a nod. She took a drink of orange juice. "What do you suggest?"

Zouken's smile grew. "I told you that in this project I'd only provide advice and oversight, not suggestions." He said before laughing at her pout. "Well you're a clever girl, I'm sure you'll figure something out, or pick something out of your studies. Alright, I'll let you wander around the general archives while I go deal with my colleagues."

Sakura brightened up at once. "Thank you very much!" she said, and Zouken nodded.

* * *

Lord Waver El-Melloi II looked in disbelief from a safe distance as a little girl jumped several times, trying to reach a book on a bookshelf. The problem was that the book was too high on the bookshelf for her to reach. " _Should I help?_ " he thought to himself. " _Normally I would, but this is the Clock Tower. Depending on who she is there could be consequences I wouldn't want to get involved with, considering all the political bullshit that goes on around here._ "

He winced as the bookshelf tottered, nearly falling on the girl who was forced to use reinforcement – there's no way she would normally be strong enough to keep it from falling on her – to keep it in place. " _Yeah I should help._ " He thought as he began to walk over. " _If it does fall on her and she gets hurt – or worse bites the dirt – and it gets out I was around and did nothing, depending – again – on who she is I'm going to get into more trouble than I care to have._ "

" _And besides…_ " he thought as he stepped up beside the surprised girl, and reached out to get her desired book. " _…it's not like I particularly like to see children getting hurt._ "

He handed the book to her, and fought down a burst of fear at the sight of her blue eyes. He'd seen those eyes before, two years ago, during the Fourth Holy Grail War. Tokiomi Tohsaka had those same eyes, if colder and lacking life, when he – Waver – had nearly ended up getting roasted for his trouble.

He mentally chided himself. Tokiomi Tohsaka was dead, and even if he was still alive, Waver was confident in his present skills to fight the man to a draw if need be.

"Thank you." The girl said, and Waver noted the streak of silver that ran through the girl's hair. Alchemical augmentation…? Interesting…

"You're welcome." Waver said. "Though a piece of advice child, you should really ask for help from the custodians in this case. You nearly brought down the entire bookshelf earlier, didn't you?"

The girl blushed and looked away, scratching at her cheek. "But…" she said, relaxing ever so slightly. "…there's no one here in the library except other magi and the lady at the front desk. I can't really ask them for help."

"And why not…?"

"They're magi." The girl replied. "And the lady at the front desk can't leave it."

"Alright I'll concede the second point." Waver said, crossing his arms. "But the first…? Why not…?"

"Grandfather always says never to trust magi you don't really, _**REALLY**_ know."

"Oh? You certainly didn't refuse my help."

"I didn't ask you for help. You helped me. Why?"

Waver felt an eye twitch, and rubbing his forehead sighed heavily while damning magi and their traditional paranoia. " _And you're not paranoid?_ " he heard his subconscious ask slyly, and he clenched his jaw.

 _Now is not the time for self-reflection._

"Will you accept that I simply helped because I wanted to?" Waver replied instead, and the girl nodded slowly. Waver sighed. "Anyway, allow me to introduce myself: I am Lord Waver El-Melloi II."

"You're a lord…?" the little girl asked, her eyes widening in surprise and awe. Waver supressed the urge to preen, that was much too like his old (and unlamented) mentor and predecessor Lord Kayneth Archibald El-Melloi.

"Yes I am." He said, though there was a faint note of smugness in his voice. "And I'm going to remind those lazy bums who are supposed to be on custodian duty in the general archives, that they're supposed to be around to assist people in the general archives when needed!"

The girl nodded again. "You can do that." She said, and Waver stared at her. She stared back, and smiled a small, reserved smile. "My name's Sakura Matou, pleased to meet you my lord."

"Matou…?"

"Yes."

Matou…ah yes, one of the three founding families of the Heaven's Feel ritual of Fuyuki City. Surprisingly they sat the previous war out, though there were rumours that they actually traded their command spells during that conflict for some advanced equipment. Whether or not it was true, and if it was what equipment they wanted and for what was not part of the rumour.

 _Something to look into…when I have the time that is…_

"You're a long way from home Miss Matou." Waver observed. Sakura shrugged.

"Grandfather and I had some business here." She said. "I'm finished – I think – but he's not, so we're still here."

"Obviously…" Waver said, and he glanced at the book she had. "…looking into familiars eh?"

Sakura didn't answer, and Waver smiled. "It's no secret that your family specializes in the use of familiars and any and all forms of magecraft associated with them." He said. "Though if you're looking for a bird species useful but economical in large numbers, keep in mind that you're in London. Take a look outside the window, and use your eyes."

"What does that mean?" Sakura asked neutrally as Waver made to leave.

Waver just smiled at her. "If you're a magus then I don't need to answer that question." He said, though his smile faltered as her eyes flared angrily.

 _Touchy girl…I guess she doesn't like it when her status as a magus is questioned. I'm not surprised though, their family is said to be dying out. She's probably…_

Waver paused walking as he caught up with his thought. " _Tokiomi Tohsaka's eyes…_ " he thought. " _…could it be…?_ "

He resumed walking, and felt a flare of anger erupt as he spotted an old man in black leaning over where he left his papers. "Excuse me sir…!" he said angrily as he strode up. "But that's my…!"

The old man straightened, and Waver let out an incoherent whimper as his anger turned to dread as red eyes stared into his own. "Ah Lord El-Melloi II…!" Kilua Zelretch Schweinorg said cheerfully. "Just the man I was looking for! And I must say your current research into liquid meta-dynamics is an impressive one."

"T-thank you…"

"Anyway gather up your papers…" Zelretch said. "…I have a certain matter to discuss with you, and it'd be best if we do that someplace private."

"You do?" Waver asked as he felt a bottomless pit open up in his stomach.

"Why yes…" Zelretch said with a grin. "…the Archisorte family sent your name to me with the highest recommendation."

 _Bastards…! They sold me out!_

"Now, now…" Zelretch said with a smile. It did nothing to help. "…there's no need to be so apprehensive. It's just a simple thing really."

" _Simple…? Yeah and maybe someday pigs will fly too._ " Waver thought darkly. " _Though there's not much I can do other than weather it out._ "

* * *

Sakura could feel her uncle's eyes on her as she stared through her magnifiers and followed the crows as they flew in their murders through the London sky. She lowered them and turned to look over her shoulder at him. "Yes…?" she asked.

Kariya Matou sighed as he walked closer. "Planning on using crows as your familiars?" he asked, and she nodded before raising her magnifiers back to her eyes.

"Lord El-Melon made the suggestion…kind-of…"

"Kind-of…?"

"He said to use my eyes while looking out of the windows." Sakura replied, still looking at the birds. "And there are plenty of crows in this city."

"Ugly birds though…" Kariya remarked.

"Just because they're loud and coloured black it doesn't make them ugly." Sakura remarked. "To be honest I find them quite cute. And their name is catchy too: _Corvus Corax_."

Kariya stared. Sakura lowered her magnifiers and stared back. "Crows and ravens are different." Kariya finally said.

"No they're not."

"Yes they are."

"No they're not!"

"Yes they are."

"No they're not!"

"Yes they are."

"No they're not!"

"Yes they are."

"No they're not!"

Kariya rolled his eyes, unwilling to get involved in such a childish exchange any further. On second thought…he glanced back towards the pouting Sakura. " _Eh…_ " he thought to himself. " _…on the other hand this is probably a rare chance for her to act_ _ **normal**_ _instead of being a magus._ "

Kariya sighed. "They're in the same family, but they're not the same." He said.

Sakura scoffed childishly. "The family is called the corvidae." She said with childish pomposity. "That means crow in Latin. See…? Ravens and crows are the same. Just like you and me are Matou despite being Kariya and Sakura!"

"Oh?" Kariya shot back. "Does that mean that Kariya and Sakura is the same person then?"

"Of course not, we're…" Sakura began only to trail off. Kariya grinned evilly and suddenly Sakura exploded.

"Uncle you're mean!" she said before jumping at him and pounding at him with her fists. Laughing, Kariya held her off.

"Yes I know." He said, and she stuck her tongue out at him. He laughed again and with another childish scoff turned away from him. He laughed again.

"Oh come on, don't be like that." Kariya said. "I'll buy you ice cream."

"Really…?" Sakura said, abruptly turning one eighty and turning back to Kariya. He nodded.

"Of course…" he said. "…what flavour would you like?"

"Vanilla…!"

Kariya chuckled before patting her on the head. "As plain as ever, I see." He said, and Sakura pouted.

"Vanilla is not plain!" she protested. "It's the best! Better than chocolate…!"

" _Rin's favourite flavour is chocolate._ " Kariya suddenly thought, and he nodded before speaking up. "Alright, I'll go buy you ice cream. You'll be here watching the birds won't you?"

Sakura nodded, and pointed to a sitting area nearby. "I'll be over there." She said. "I'll be waiting."

"Alright, I'll see you there then."

Sakura nodded again and with a wave Kariya went off to buy ice cream. Sakura looked after him for a bit and then walked towards the sitting area. It was deserted, and Sakura took a seat before looking up at the sky. After a few moments she lowered her magnifiers and looked around her.

Kneeling down, she laid a hand against the ground and sent a burst of prana through the earth. Measuring the sitting area's dimensions, she began muttering in Russian, her prana pulsing with every word. A magic circle flashed once as she finished, and then faded as the bounded field fell into place.

It was a simple thing really, even with a ten-count, any magus with smallest amount of training would be able to sense it and walk right through it. But then again it was never aimed at her fellow magi. It was aimed at the blunt Humans that wandered around the park, keeping them from the area and encouraging them to forget.

She made an exception for her uncle though: she wanted that ice cream.

Getting to her feet, she looked up at the sky, and the two ravens circling overhead. She raised her hand towards them, and sent prana burning through her crest. "Иди ко мне." She said firmly.

The birds cried out once, and then began circling down in response. They landed in front of her, and Sakura sat down on the ground. The birds stared at her, and she stared back, keeping eye contact and their minds bound to her. At the same time her fingers gently prodded them, each prod sending surges of prana through them and allowing Sakura to compare what she knew about ravens' anatomies to the real thing.

It wouldn't be enough of course, and Sakura would probably have to perform at least a few dissections before she could begin breeding ravens and crows as familiars. She didn't relish the idea of dissection, but inwardly she told herself it was a necessity, and one she'd only do as needed. The familiars would be part of her, her eyes, ears, and claws so to speak, after all. There was no need for unnecessary self-harm.

So focused was Sakura on the ravens in front of her that she barely registered the bounded field allowing a person entry behind her. At first she thought it was her uncle…only for the bounded field to warn her that was not the case.

Alarmed, she jolted and her concentration broke, causing the ravens to fly off with cries and a rush of black feathers. Irritated, Sakura turned on the magus behind her even as she began to speak.

"Excuse me, but I don't think…"

The other girl stopped speaking abruptly as their eyes met. "Rin…?" Sakura asked first.

"Sakura…?" Rin responded.

"What are you doing here?" they asked at the same time.

* * *

A/N

Envy…it's such an ugly emotion, and yet it's perfectly natural for five year-old Sakura to be jealous of Rin. Think about it: magic is real. She probably knows all about the fairy tale version of it. And then she gets told that no, you can't learn it, only one in every generation can, you're just a spare.

Yes, I think Tokiomi would actually say that, gently of course, but that's the idea. The harsh truth is better than a sweet lie, or something along that line of thought.

That it would make Sakura feel unwanted by her father and jealous of her sister is probably something that wouldn't concern the bastard. Note that there's no hate here, just jealousy and neglect (kind-of). Also, Sakura has nothing against Aoi, and naturally Zouken would use that envy as fuel for Sakura's ambitions as a magus. He might not be raping and torturing little girls and eating people anymore, but he's still an evil bastard that made a deal he cannot break to treat her nicely – for a given value of nice – while training her into a proper magus.

DarkJackel: I'll give a couple of hints and a few 'possibilities' for her eventual Servant. One: the Servant is female. Two: they may or may not be divine or semi-divine in nature. Three: like Sakura they have something of a selfish streak. Possibilities: Baba Yaga the archetypal witch of Slavic folklore (considering the Matou were originally from Russia it would fit), Medea the Witch of Betrayal (my favourite among the Caster Class and considering Russia owes a lot to the Greeks it would also fit), Morrigan the Crow Goddess of Celtic myth (poor Lancer he's probably going to cut and run for the deepest hole he can find if Morrigan shows up), Scathach (again Lancer is probably going to cut and run if this is the case), and Semiramis Queen of Assyria (aka fem-Gilgamesh if not nearly as OP or as much of a jerk but twice as dangerous).


	4. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own the Fate franchise it belongs to Kinoko Nasu and Type-Moon.

Jewels and Crows

Chapter 3

Sakura didn't answer. Rin stared for a few moments, and then she coughed. "What are you doing here?" she asked again.

"I asked you the same thing." Sakura replied.

"That's not an answer." Rin replied, and Sakura shrugged. She then gestured and the bounded field collapsed.

"No it isn't." she said. "You wouldn't tell me how you enchant your jewels would you?"

"No…"

"Then there you go." Sakura said, getting up and dusting herself.

Rin fumbled for a few moments, before scowling and crossing her arms. "Why are you being so mean all of a sudden?" she demanded. Sakura smiled at that.

"I'm not." She said. "I'm just keeping my family secrets."

"I'm your sister."

"No, you are not. Not anymore, remember?"

Rin's eyes flared wide, and Sakura sighed. "Okay that was mean…" she admitted. "…but I was sent away, and told by both Tokiomi-san and grandfather that we weren't family anymore. Then I became a magus, just like you were then and you are now. We can still be friends, but even then…magi don't share their secrets, unless they're family."

"Sakura…"

"I'm here in London with grandfather over the summer." Sakura said with a smile. She then glanced at Rin, her eyes measuring. "Grandfather has some business over publishing some of his research, and me…well I have research of my own to do."

Rin stared at Sakura for several moments, and then she sighed. "You're trying to get back at me aren't you?" she asked darkly. "Back then…I wouldn't tell you what father was teaching me, and now that you're a magus you're doing the same thing!"

"We're magi Tohsaka-san." Sakura said with a hint of sadness. "I didn't understand then, but I understand now. I'll admit though that I was jealous, and still am. And I'm going to be better than you someday."

Rin stared back at Sakura, her own eyes measuring Sakura just as Sakura's eyes measured her. "Magi…" Rin said, and then she sighed and smiled. "…you're going to be better than me? I'd like to see you try."

"That's the spirit." Sakura said with a matching smile. "I don't think I'll lose though."

"We'll see." Rin said, tilting her head. "After all the Matou family specializes in familiars. You were studying those birds weren't you, so you could make them into familiars?"

Sakura didn't reply, and Rin chuckled. "I guessed right, didn't I?" she asked, but again Sakura didn't reply. "What's with the white stripe in your hair? That wasn't there before."

Sakura's smile turned into a smirk, and she raised a finger to her lips. "It's a mystery." She quipped, laughing as Rin scowled.

"Tell me…!" Rin shouted, playfully lunging for Sakura. Sakura jumped back, and sending prana through her circuits and crest. She gestured at the fountain, pulling a splash of water onto the ground and freezing it. As Rin slipped and fell on her rump, Sakura cackled and ran, freezing more water into a wall behind her.

"That's impossible!" she heard Rin shout.

"No it isn't!" Sakura shouted through the wall. "Obviously I can do it, so it's not! Come catch me if you can!"

"Don't use magic in the open!" Rin shouted, sending prana through her crest and circuits. She melted the wall, and ran after Sakura. The younger girl had a good head start, but this time it was Rin's turn to smirk. Using the wind element and reinforcement, she quickly caught up with Sakura and jumped on her, forcing her to the ground.

"How did…the wind element…?" Sakura demanded from where she was lying prone on the ground beneath Rin.

"Caught you, didn't I?" Rin gloated. "That white stripe…it was alchemy wasn't it? That's how you can use the water element!"

"I'm not telling!"

"Oh yes you will!" Rin said before cracking her fingers and reaching down to tickle Sakura's sides. The younger girl immediately began to laugh, wiggling and twisting as Rin ran her fingers along her sides.

"No…stop…" Sakura gasped out between laughs. "…alright, alright, I give…! I give! It's alchemy!"

"See…?" Rin said smugly, still sitting on top of Sakura. "Was that so…?"

She was cut off as water splashed on her face, staggering back as Sakura pulled herself up. Apparently while she had been gloating Sakura had pulled the water out of a nearby patch of grass and splashed it on her face. Sakura stuck out her tongue and ran, the water from the nearby grass pooling into a ball of water in her hand.

"Sakura no…!" Rin spluttered as she ran after the other girl, who ran for a patch of trees. "Are you crazy? You shouldn't…!"

"You're the one who's screaming about it on top of her lungs. And it's not like anyone can see." Sakura shot back while running back and forth between the trees, Rin hot on her trail. "Oh well, пусть туман скрыть истину."

The ball of water in Sakura's exploded, and Sakura hissed. "Magic's not that easy, Sakura." Rin said. "If you want to be better than me, then you're going to have to do better than that."

Sakura didn't reply, instead focusing on weaving around the trees and leading Rin around. She stayed silent for the next few minutes, and causing Rin to wonder…and grew suspicious. "Hey Sakura, are you alright?" she asked, but Sakura didn't reply. Growling, Rin again used wind and reinforcement to close the gap, only to shriek girlishly when she fell through 'Sakura' when she tried to jump her like she did before.

It broke the spell too, and Rin palmed her face as she realized what Sakura did. She scattered water into the air, and used it to refract light to create an illusion while hiding the real her. And since it was an optical illusion instead of a mental one, magic resistance wouldn't factor in.

"Sakura…!"

* * *

"What took you so long?" Sakura asked, licking a really big ice cream cone, her legs swinging back and forth as she sat next to Aoi and Kariya

"You tricked me." Rin growled, and Sakura smiled.

"Yes I did." She admitted before holding out the cone. "Want some…? Don't worry, there's nothing wrong with it, mother bought it for me."

"I thought you said we weren't family anymore." Rin replied, and then winced as Sakura kicked her on a shin. She opened her mouth to object and then closed it as Sakura gave a gesture with her head towards Aoi. Belatedly, Rin realized the expression of hurt that quickly flashed over their mother's face when she said that. "Oh I uh…"

"Want some…?" Sakura asked again.

"Okay thanks, I'll have a bite." Rin said with a nervous laugh. She took a bite out of Sakura's ice cream before giving it back. "That was good, though chocolate is better."

"It is not!"

"Yes it is!"

"No it's not!"

Kariya sighed as Sakura and Rin got into a shouting match over the better flavour: vanilla or chocolate. Aoi laughed at the sight. "Now, now…" she said. "…don't fight. I think vanilla and chocolate are both great, so why don't you just settle for that?"

"Okay!"

"In that case, I'll go buy for Rin then." Kariya said, getting to his feet. He raised his hand to forestall Aoi as she reached for her purse. "No, no, it's on me."

"Oh thank you." Aoi said, and Rin nodded.

"Thanks uncle."

"No problem."

* * *

The doors to the conference room opened, a collection of magi exiting from within. Most of the magi were older men and women, their eyes and faces hardened by age and experience, while others were of indeterminate age, their forms twisted by their mysteries to a point where they could scarcely be called Human anymore. Others were younger, with brilliant minds and faces marked by the arrogance born of genius and privilege.

Once, Zouken would have fallen into the second category. Now, he fell into the first, the most respectable among the three categories. However the fact that he once fell into the second category was still there, for while the elder magi and the brilliant youngsters were immediately joined by their retinues – be they advisors, staff, sycophants and apprentices and more – he stood alone, as did the rest of the magi who had been twisted by the mysteries they had uncovered.

Zouken knew well the reason for such solitude. Orthodox lines of research and methodology could only deliver so much, and unorthodoxy could deliver so much more. Unfortunately unorthodoxy had a price of its own, as evidenced by their (and once his) twisted forms, and at times (if not _most_ of the time) such unorthodox methods blurred the accepted and tolerable lines of conduct set down by the Mages Association.

Blurring those lines was a great risk, for it only took a single misinterpretation of word or deed, or even a single step too far every so often that leaked out, and the Association would bring an end to a magus' life and ambitions. And of course, such magi were more often than not crueller and more paranoid – among other traits such as selfishness – than their kin. Such was the consequence of sacrificing parts of one's Humanity for more and more power.

Zouken knew it quite well, recognizing how far he had gone in hindsight as he regained aspects of his Humanity lost to the wearing of time.

" _Justeaze would probably poke fun at it were she here to see and hear._ " He thought wryly as he watched the twisted forms of the less-Human magi depart alone, while the retinues of the elders and the geniuses milled around them.

" _Grandfather…_ " he heard the Russian word, and he turned to catch sight of Sakura quickly walking up to him.

" _Granddaughter…_ " he replied in kind. The stirred curiosity and disdain of some of the nearby magi, drawn by the appearance of an Oriental girl speaking Russian quickly faded, and they turned back to their business. Oriental or not, seeing as she was involved with an elderly Russian – unlike his descendants both adopted and otherwise Zouken was a pure-blooded Russian and having regained his Humanity it showed – magus, it was probably best to treat her with neutrality if at all. It was better than possibly offending an old – and thus likely powerful – and respectably _proper_ Association magus by disrespecting his ward.

Or in the cases of those who could speak or at least understand Russian, the girl's grandfather. Her being Oriental was a strike against them both, but then again, it wouldn't be the first time one of their own had an illicit affair that bore useful fruit further down the line, and was put to good use.

At least, that's what they thought.

" _What is it?_ " he asked, pausing as he allowed Sakura to fall into step beside him.

" _Tohsaka is here._ " Sakura replied. " _I met her in a park where she interrupted my studies on a pair of ravens._ "

" _She is here…?_ " Zouken replied. " _Why?_ "

" _I do not know._ " Sakura replied. " _But if I were to guess, probably summer classes. Tokiomi-san is dead, and while Kotomine-san was his apprentice, as a priest he probably can't teach her much. And it's not like she needs alchemy to get more elements. She's an Average One, and you can't get Sorcery Traits through alchemy…I think._ "

" _That's a reasonable assumption._ " Zouken said with a nod. " _And no, you can't. Is there anything more I should know?_ "

" _She knows I'm here to get an elemental affinity._ " Sakura replied. " _And she's figured out I plan to use ravens and crows as familiars. Though, my white hair is a big hint to alchemy being used on me. Also, we're known to base our magic on the water element, and specializing in familiars. Rin's not stupid. She'd have figured it out from what I was doing, and I getting a water affinity through alchemy would have been expected._ "

" _If not now, then sooner or later they'd expect or suspect it._ " Zouken agreed. " _And if not her, then that damn priest Kotomine…_ "

" _You don't get along with the priest?_ " Sakura asked, but Zouken didn't reply, and after a few moments she coughed. " _Sorry…I shouldn't have asked._ "

" _Did you enjoy your reunion with your sister?_ " Zouken asked instead, and Sakura was silent for a few moments.

" _It was nice._ " She answered. " _We're not supposed to meet I know but still…sorry, I couldn't resist. Staying with her for a while that is, and showing off…_ "

Zouken chuckled indulgently. " _I'm guessing that's how she really figured out why you're here._ " He remarked, and Sakura smiled. " _No matter, just don't make habit of it._ "

" _Yes._ "

" _And…?_ " Zouken asked. " _Do you wish to take classes here in the Clock Tower yourself? I could have it arranged._ "

" _No…_ " Sakura said. " _…I don't really need it. A dissection room would be nice though, and continued access to the general archives. That way, when we go back to Japan, I can start breeding unkindness and murders._ "

" _You'll need an aviary for that._ " Zouken mused aloud. " _Alright, I'll have Kariya arrange it. Byakuya won't last for much longer, that stepfather of yours is turning his liver to stone. Well that's a problem for another day, as for the general archives, your permit should last for the summer, and I'll get you a room for dissecting in in a day or two._ "

" _Thank you very much._ "

Zouken smiled and ruffled her hair. It had been a long time since he'd actually _taught_ someone in the ways of the magus, and he'd forgotten – among so many things – the satisfaction of watching one's ward opening doors and unlocking secrets on their own.

 _Perhaps immortality is just one thing I'm getting out of this deal. Damn that old vampire, he's been holding out on me._

* * *

"Sakura seemed well, didn't she?" Rin remarked as she entered the kitchen to help her mother with dinner.

"Yes, she was." Aoi replied, and then she sighed. Rin glanced at her.

"Mother…? Is something wrong?"

"Just…worrying about your sister…" she said. "…she might be pushing herself you see. Your uncle did say she had to undergo alchemical augmentation."

"She is." Rin replied sadly. "Getting alchemical augmentation already, that is. She could use the water element earlier, though I wonder if she's going to get the others too. She did say she wanted to be a better magus than I am."

Aoi laughed, though it was a strange laugh, one that seemed hollow and bitter to the ears. Rin glanced at her worriedly. "Mother…?" she asked.

Aoi looked at her, but didn't say anything for a while. "What would your father think of this?" she asked. Rin blinked and looked away for several moments to think.

"He would be happy, or at least proud." She finally said. "Sakura's a magus, and has the drive for it. Isn't that why…why she had to leave?"

Aoi smiled sadly and turned back to her cooking. "And what do you think about it?" she asked, and again Rin was silent for several moments to think.

"I'm happy for her." She said softly. "She's found her own way. And I…I'd be honoured to face her as a magus in the future."

Aoi froze ever so briefly, and she also briefly closed her eyes. "I see." She said, and then she sighed and smiled at Rin. "It seems, you really are your father's daughters, both you and Sakura."

Rin glanced at her at that, and Aoi shook her head. "Please set the table, Rin." She asked.

"Alright…" Rin said, turning to the china cabinet. Her back turned, she couldn't see her mother wipe at her eyes with a sleeve, and stifle a sob.

* * *

"Well that was…difficult…" Rin remarked a few days later to her friends as they left the classroom. An unannounced and stunningly-complicated quiz left them harried, and not just them. Even the noble-born members of their class looked more than a bit shell-shocked.

"That depends on your definition of difficult." Louise countered.

"More like insane." Hannah growled.

Rin laughed nervously, and then bounced back and fell hard on her rump as she walked into a person. "T-that hurt…" she stammered as her friends helped her up. She looked up at the offender, who turned out to be a well-dressed young woman, her clothes embellished with a red cloak. The most striking thing about her though, was her face. She was dark-haired and bespectacled, though that was the only thing that could be described in detail.

Everything else could be summed up with the word 'nondescript'. Even her clothes too, apart from her cloak, could not have their details made out.

In other words: she was someone with something to hide.

Not that it was too out of place in the Clock Tower. _Every_ magus had something to hide. Still, this woman was taking that to the next level.

"You shouldn't stand in the middle of the hallway like that you know." Rin said to her friends' consternation.

"Hey Rin…!" Hannah elbowed her.

"Sorry about that…" Louise said in a placating fashion. "…Rin here has something of a temper."

"You are Rin Tohsaka." The older magus suddenly remarked. It wasn't a question, more of a matter of fact. Rin raised an eyebrow in response.

"Yes I am." She said. "Who are you?"

The woman ignored her question, instead staring probingly at her. Rin resisted the urge to take a step back, returning the stare instead. She sent prana burning through her crest and circuits, trying to force her way past the woman's veils. It worked…barely. Bright blue eyes, surprisingly young yet haunted stared at her, and in hindsight there was something…familiar, if illusive about her voice.

"You should not be here." The woman said, and Rin bristled.

"Oh really…?" she snapped.

The woman smiled, or she seemed to. "You've got a strong will." She said. "And you're a very good magus for your age. But you shouldn't be so thorny. Trust me it could get you in a lot of trouble if you're not careful."

Rin fumbled for a bit. "Who are you?" she finally managed.

"Let's just say that I'm a distant relative." The woman said, making to leave and walk past the trio.

"Oh really…?" Rin said with a roll of her eyes. The woman smiled and paused, patting her on the head to her consternation.

"Well if you can't accept that, perhaps you might accept that I'm Zelretch's apprentice." She said. "Tell you what, if you can become good enough to be his apprentice someday, I'll tell you who I am."

Rin was stunned silent, and with a wave, the older woman left. "What…" Rin finally managed. "…what just happened?"

"I think you just got challenged, that's what." Louise said.

"I think so too." Hannah agreed. "That woman was probably lying when she said she was your relative. About her being Zelretch's apprentice though…? I don't think so."

"Well she certainly has the mischief part down pat…" Rin mused. "…me…becoming Zelretch's apprentice…hmm…"

"You can't be serious." Hannah looked at her incredulously. "He's a dangerous master. You know the stories."

"Yeah…" Louise said. "…but the same stories say that if you don't go bonkers, you'll be all but guaranteed to be one of the greatest magi of your age."

The three magi looked at each other. And then Rin sighed. "Come on girls…" she said with a look at her wristwatch. "…let's talk about this some other time. We're going to be late for our next class."

"Point…"

"True, true…"

* * *

A girl in dark-coloured clothes walked silently down a corridor, others giving her a respectful berth. She wasn't that intimidating, nor did she have an obvious air of nobility or feature recognizable as those of the great and noble houses of the Association. It was more of an instinctive response to the blood-stained leather apron and gloves she was wearing, and the bloody mess inside the translucent case she was carrying.

That the case was also bearing the biohazard symbol was probably another factor.

Sakura Matou stopped walking, and stared at the nondescript woman standing in the middle of the hallway. Given her posture, and the fact the she was staring at her, the older woman clearly had some business with her.

"Can I help you?" Sakura asked.

"Sakura…Matou…?" the woman asked. The voice was neutral, but Sakura wondered at how reliable her senses were here, seeing as the woman was masking herself. And there was something about the questioning context that made her…wary.

"Yes…" Sakura responded slowly, and took a step back as the woman slowly, _shakily_ , reached out with both hands. The other woman winced at that, and Sakura blinked curiously. "…why are you masking?"

The older woman ignored the question, taking a few moments to gather her thoughts. "You're a magus." She said instead, and Sakura blinked. Normally she wouldn't take happily to people questioning her profession, but this time curiosity won out over wounded pride.

"Is that so unusual?" she asked. "This is the Clock Tower, the largest division of the Mages Association. Everyone here – well mostly – is a magus. There are spell-casters too, but I'm definitely a magus."

"Yes…I can see that…" the older woman replied. "…what's that you have there?"

"Research specimen…" Sakura said, a note of neutrality entering her voice. Dissecting live ravens and crows was a necessity for progress' sake, but she didn't like it. And the less that could be said about it, then the better it would be. "…please don't ask."

The woman stared at her. Sakura stared back. And then the woman turned, quickly walking away with her red cloak sweeping behind her. Sakura continued staring after her until she went around a corner and she was gone. "Weird lady…" she said with a shake of her head before continuing on her way. "…still who was she? And what did she want?"

Pausing to muse on the matter, she shrugged and went on her way. She needed to dispose of her experiment's remains.

* * *

Zelretch sighed with content as he sat back in his office – well one of them at any rate given the infinite scope of the Kaleidoscope – having finished all of the backlogged paperwork that needed his attentions. For a moment he just sat there, his feet resting on his desk's corner, and then he remembered he still had a bottle of Spanish brandy in one of his desk cabinets.

As he set his feet down, the doors of his office banged open. "Master…!" the young woman yelled as she burst into the room. "What have you done?"

 _Oh shit…I forgot…I shouldn't have brought her with me here…damn it…_

"I finished my paperwork." Zelretch replied blandly, pulling the bottle out and placing it on his desk. Ignoring his apprentice, he walked over to another cabinet, this one on the wall, and opened it to expose the hidden icebox inside. He filled a glass with ice, paused, and turned to his apprentice. "Want one…?"

The young woman closed and locked the doors, and then removed her enchanted glasses, finally revealing the form of an older (early twenties) and world-weary Rin Tohsaka. Well, one of her at any rate.

"You…you…you…"

"Yes…?"

"She's a magus!" Rin exploded. "What have you done?"

Zelretch rolled his eyes. He walked back to his desk and filled the glass. "I simply brought you along to a universe where Sakura Matou was properly-treated and is a proper magus…in training. And where your other self is also studying here at the Clock Tower." He said as he filled his glass. "Apart from that, I did nothing more."

He set down the bottle and sealed it. As Rin struggled to get her thoughts in order, he raised his glass and took a whiff of the brandy. He smiled, the strong alcohol's scent stimulating his age-old senses. "Is that really all you did?" Rin finally asked.

"Yes."

It was a lie of course, Zelretch had no intent – yet – of telling her that he went back in time, offered Zouken Humanity and immortality in exchange for his treating Sakura properly, just so he could show her that yes he did care and could do something about the wrongs of the World. She wasn't ready for it, simply because part of that truth was that he didn't do it – most of the time – because there was no point.

He couldn't be everywhere at once, righting wrongs.

And more than that, people could right wrongs on their own. That was what heroes were for, be it the greatest heroes such as Alexander, Hector, Lysander, and Hercules, to an ordinary fireman who saved a little boy from a burning house. He didn't have to look out for others any more than he absolutely had to, because they could do it on their own.

Rin Tohsaka had done it herself. And the same went for her brother-in-law, who would not be that if he hadn't been capable of looking out for himself, his wife, and his sister-in-law.

" _Granted…it doesn't always work out in the end…_ " Zelretch thought sadly. " _…but the world, no reality isn't fair. You can't save everyone…or everything…_ "

Sighing, he sat down behind his desk and took a sip of his brandy. Rin seemed to notice his low spirits, swallowing whatever tirade she had been planning to spill, offering respectful and implicitly-sympathetic silence instead. " _Perhaps there's hope for her after all._ " He thought. He took another sip, and setting his glass down opened a drawer. He took out a sheaf of papers and handed it to her.

She gave it a glance, and then she glanced at him. He nodded at her, and with a sigh she nodded and put her glasses back on.

As the doors closed behind her, Zelretch leaned back again. " _I wonder what would happen…_ " he thought to himself. " _…if Sakura Matou met Sakura Matou?_ "

He chuckled, his thoughts on a bar named Ahnenerbe. " _It might be interesting to see._ " He thought.

* * *

A/N

There's a good point about Scathach, though if I remember correctly it is possible to summon Divine Spirits like Morrigan as Servants. However their Authority would be restricted, and if they did use it, it would bring the penalty of self-ruin. That's self-explanatory isn't it?

The apprentice Zelretch mentioned in the prologue is Heaven's Feel True End Rin. Yes, it's the same one above. The cradle-robbing witch is Medea, and her redheaded boy-toy is obviously Shirou. They may or may not be from another fanfiction, the Kaleidoscope is quite big and I'm sure the pairing exists in more than one plane of reality.

Zelretch can travel through time. It was mentioned during a discussion in Mahoutsukai no Yoru about the Fifth Magic controlling time isn't accurate, since time travel is the domain of the Second Magic. It makes sense too, seeing as time travel is related to Schrodinger's Cat and the many-worlds hypothesis, which is basically the Kaleidoscope.


	5. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own the Fate franchise it belongs to Kinoko Nasu and Type-Moon.

Jewels and Crows

Chapter 4

"Here you go."

Rin handed a slip of paper to both of her friends, who took them and glanced at them. They nodded. "Don't worry Rin…" Hannah said. "…we'll be sure to send letters over the year. But in return, you'll have to promise to come back next summer won't you?"

The last part was delivered with a wink, and Rin giggled as Louise nodded and winked too. "I'd like that promise too, Rin." She said.

"Of course I'll be back." Rin said. "It wasn't the easiest, and at times there are…people like…well I don't want to give names. But I learned a lot, a lot more than I would have on my own or with Kirei."

"Kirei…ah yes, your father's apprentice. You mentioned him before he's your magic instructor isn't he?"

"Yes." Rin said with a grimace and a nod, and Hannah elbowed Louise before giving a cough.

"Hey Rin…" she said. "…I know that since you're the Supervisor of your territory you have to have a Japanese education for when…well, when you grow up, but maybe you should think about spending some more time here than just summer classes after you finish regular education."

"You mean like college…?" Rin asked, and her friends nodded. She smiled and drew herself up. "I've already done that, and that's what I plan to do!"

"Really…?"

"Yes!"

"That's great!" Hannah said happily, and Louise nodded. "Hopefully by then we can be in a department together."

"That depends though…" Rin said, her face falling. "…my family's specialization means I have to join the Department of Mineralogy after I finish my five year requirement at the Department of General Fundamentals. What about you two?"

Hannah and Louise glanced at each other and then thought for a moment. At length Hannah sighed, and scratched her head. "The Department of Individual Fundamentals…" she said.

"Either that or the Department of Modern Magecraft Theories…" Louise said uncomfortably, and silence fell between the three nine year-old magi. "…what a shame."

"It really is." Rin agreed, and Hannah nodded. They might be young, but they already what it was like to be magi. Even now despite being good friends, they didn't share anything more than the vaguest and most general aspects of their research with each other. How much more as they grew older, more…worldly and more like the magi their parents and relatives were? And they would be going to separate departments too. Would they even stay friends? Or would they simply become acquaintances or connections?

Eventually Rin took a deep breath and gave a weak smile. "Well…" she began. "…that's still a long way off. And…well, who know? A miracle might happen, and even if we go to different departments, we'll still be able to stay friends."

"Miracle…?" Louise echoed, and then she chuckled. "Well we're magi, and that's what we do isn't it? Study and make miracles?"

"That's the spirit!" Rin said and glanced at Hannah, who smiled and nodded.

"I think we can give it a shot." She said. Rin nodded and glanced at both of them, and then with a sigh glanced at her wristwatch.

"Well…" she said. "I have to get going. I don't want to miss my plane after all."

"Alright…" Hannah said, giving a wave.

"Bye Rin…" Louise said. "…take care of yourself. Have a safe trip, and see you next year."

"I will." Rin said, giving a wave and turning. "Bye…!"

"Bye…!"

* * *

"Do try and get along with your brother Sakura." Zouken remarked to his granddaughter as they made their way towards the front door of the Matou mansion. They'd gone back to Japan a couple of days ahead of the Tohsaka, not that they had had much interaction back in London. Rin was busy with her summer classes and outside of that going around with or both her friends and family, while Sakura busied herself with her anatomical studies on ravens and crows.

And, unknown to her grandfather, she'd picked up some material on Imaginary Numbers, and had begun to work on how to put her Sorcery Trait to use.

That same girl now fidgeted at her grandfather's remark. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"But…" she said. "…won't he be jealous about me…well, being the next Matou magus after you? Shinji-nii is…he's father's son. If they're like each other…"

Sakura trailed off, and Zouken tapped at his chin. "That could be problematic." He agreed. "I've managed to keep Byakuya in line, but I'd rather not act directly against someone as young as your brother. You might want to update the bounded fields around your room, and while I expect you to at least _try_ and get along, don't let yourself get pushed around or taken advantage of either. Understand…?"

Sakura nodded. "I understand." She said, and Zouken nodded back.

"Good…" he said, and he pressed knocked on the door with the knocker. After several moments, the door opened, exposing the wasted features of Byakuya Matou as he leered at Zouken and Sakura. For a moment he didn't seem to recognize them, and then he blinked and let them in.

" _Father doesn't look so good._ " Sakura remarked in Russian as she and Zouken went in. Considering that only she and Zouken spoke Russian in the house, it was a safe way of talking about other people when they didn't need to hear or rather _understand_ what was being talked about.

Zouken made a sound of disgust at Sakura's remark. " _You can't help someone who doesn't want to be helped._ " He said. " _Your uncle and I have been telling him for years now that he's been drinking too much. And still, nothing's changed._ "

" _I see._ " Sakura said sadly, and Zouken glanced at her.

" _Do you care?_ " he asked.

" _I want to care…and I do…a little…_ " she said softly, but she didn't say anymore. Zouken sighed and made to say something, but decided against it.

"I'll go fix my things first." Sakura said after a few moments in Japanese. "And then I'll go see my new aviary. Is that alright?"

Zouken nodded, and Sakura went off to her room.

* * *

" _I can't believe he's making me do this._ " Lord Waver El-Melloi II thought darkly as he made his up a street towards his destination. " _And to think I swore never to return to Japan after what happened here. But then again…_ "

The young man paused in his thoughts and in his walk, looking pensive where he stood. " _I met him here…_ " Waver thought. " _…in this country, this city, I met and fought with my King here. He died here, and here he told me to live, live and tell his story._ "

Waver sighed and took a deep breath. " _I don't know what Zelretch is plotting…_ " he thought as he resumed walking. " _…but he didn't say anything about me not taking what advantage I can out of this. Like say, telling a young boy the story of the King…who knows? He might get something out of it._ "

Eventually, he arrived at his destination and pressed the doorbell, waiting for someone on the inside to respond. Eventually the front door opened, and Waver found himself gaping.

" _Is this…is this really the same man who managed to kill Lord Kayneth Archibald El-Melloi?_ " Waver thought in shock as Kiritsugu Emiya shambled over to the gate and opened it, allowing the young man inside. And apparently, the shock showed, as Kiritsugu smiled weakly.

"Do I really look that terrible to you?" he asked.

"Yes." Waver replied, and Kiritsugu laughed only to collapse halfway through into a fit of coughing. Waver said nothing, waiting for the man to recover. Once he did, Kiritsugu led Waver inside, and thence to the veranda.

"Unfortunately I sent Shirou out on an errand, and he isn't back yet." Kiritsugu said as they sat down opposite each other. "These days I'm not in the best of shape, so I apologize if I'm not able to cater to you properly."

"Understandable…" Waver said with a nod. He briefly hesitated, and then he nodded. "…what happened to you, Magus Killer? There is no way you could have defeated and killed Kayneth and Tokiomi the way you are now."

"No, I guess not." Kiritsugu agreed. "But I'm only Human. We all are. There are things we can do, and things we can't do. And overcoming this disease of mine is one of the latter."

"Is that so?" Waver said softly. "You know, there are spiritual doctors available who might be able to…"

"That won't be necessary." Kiritsugu interrupted firmly, and Waver demurred. Whether it was out of financial or personal reasons, it seemed that Kiritsugu Emiya had resigned himself to whatever disease he had slowly dragging him into the grave. "I've already made arrangements for the inevitable, which I'd say is only a year or two away. It's something of a waste to have made all those for nothing, eh? And we all have to die someday, and something tells me that that will be my moment. Shouldn't I face it like a man?"

"Dying with dignity?" Waver asked, and Kiritsugu didn't reply. He smiled though, which was all the answer Waver needed.

"Yes." Kiritsugu replied. "Now enough about that boring topic, and let's go to why you're here. First of all, my apologies for not being able to answer promptly I was…I had business of my own in Germany for most of the summer. It could have gone better, but…"

Kiritsugu trailed off, and he sighed, his expression mournful and heavy. "…anyway…" he continued after a moment. "…after I received your letter, I had to think on it for a while. Shirou is my son after all, and given the Archibald and their relatives' understandable beef against me I had to make sure."

"And you are…?" Waver asked. "Sure about meeting with me, that is?"

Kiritsugu laughed weakly. "You used the Lord Second's name in your letter prominently." He said. "While I wouldn't doubt that those so-called nobles would be above fraud in pursuit of their interests, even they wouldn't be stupid as to potentially risk Zelretch's disapproval – at best – if he finds out they used his name without his permission…or actual involvement in the matter."

" _If_ he finds out…" Waver remarked, and again Kiritsugu laughed.

"True…" he agreed. "…but the man can travel through time and different universes. That might seem like a _non sequitur_ , but compared to something to fantastic the 'if' of him finding out about fraud or false pretences is not nearly as big as it would seem."

"Indeed…" Waver said with a nod. "…I assure you that my presence here and my extended offer were done at Lord Zelretch's behest."

"So I see." Kiritsugu said with a nod of his own. "I take it then that Zelretch guarantees my son's safety? You are associated with the Archibald faction."

"Archisorte actually…" Waver corrected. "…the Archibald line ended with Kayneth. The next branch of the family in line to succeed and who I represent is the Archisorte. Technically-speaking I am the legal brother of the family head, Reines Archisorte El-Melloi."

"Is that so?" Kiritsugu remarked. "And my earlier question…?"

"Lord Zelretch merely said to leave the Archisorte to him." Waver said with a shrug. "I've made no secret that I intended to take a short leave of absence around this time, and that I was headed to Japan. Neither my little sister – who has a habit of being shrill, I might add – nor the family elders made any noises."

"Could you have been followed?"

"Possibly…" Waver remarked. "…though it is unlikely. I took precautions of my own, and I trust the Lord Zelretch. Hopefully that will be enough."

"Quite…" Kiritsugu responded. For a few moments the two of them were silent, and then Kiritsugu sighed. "…this is what I think. You _were_ followed, and they probably know you're in negotiations with me. However because of Zelretch's intervention, they probably can't do anything more than watch…for now. And because of that, I can't say no to your offer."

"You don't want your son to be a magus." Waver said. It wasn't a question.

"To be a magus is to kill one's self." Kiritsugu said. "You can't be Human, not really, if you want to unlock mysteries beyond Humanity's place and use them to perform 'miracles'. I have seen what happens when one goes too far down that path. Too many times…and even in the mirror…"

"Kiritsugu…Emiya…"

"Shirou wants to be a magus." Kiritsugu said softly. "I've tried to steer him away from that path, but even so he still wants to be one. However he cannot. The best he can be is a spell-caster, though he doesn't realize that yet."

"Why is that?"

Kiritsugu smiled. "That's…" he said. "…that's a matter for the two of us, Shirou and me."

"But of course…" Waver said with a nod. "…I won't pry into that."

Kiritsugu nodded back. "To be honest I'd prefer it if Shirou could stay away from that world…" he said. "…but when you contacted me, it became inevitable. And again, to be honest, in hindsight I have to thank you for contacting me. I've really become soft if I thought that simply retiring would be enough to keep my family safe in obscurity. However the world of the magi and of the supernatural is obscure in nature. Looking for and finding something in obscurity is what they do best."

Waver was silent. "You've reminded me of that." Kiritsugu said. "And while I hate to admit it, but if Shirou is to be safe or better put for him to be able to overcome the consequences of my sins, he has to know how to use magic, whether as a magus or a spell-caster."

Still Waver was silent, and after a pause Kiritsugu continued. "You're good person as far as magi go." He said, and Waver smiled.

"Flattery…" he said.

"It's the truth." Kiritsugu said. "You're a magus true, so I doubt you'll ever be pure white. As if something like that actually exists…there's no such thing as black and white, merely infinite shades of grey. But compared to people like Tokiomi Tohsaka or Kayneth Archibald, or even me, you are brighter than most."

Waver didn't respond, and Kiritsugu paused again. "I'll entrust Shirou's fate to you." He eventually said. "And I won't even ask you to sign a geis to guarantee it."

Waver scoffed at that. "In other words…" he said. "…you'd place the entire matter on my personal conscience, eh? Tricky aren't you?"

Kiritsugu didn't respond, and then Waver harrumphed. "Well no matter…" he said. "…you'd probably think it foolish, but I still see myself as Iskander's servant. If I take responsibility for something or someone, then that's exactly what I'll do."

"Foolish…?" Kiritsugu echoed. "Maybe…but I'm not exactly one to judge someone for being a fool."

Waver glanced curiously at Kiritsugu at that, but he didn't elaborate. "Shall we proceed to the details?" he asked instead, and Waver nodded.

"Yes, let's…"

* * *

An awkward atmosphere filled the living room, primarily because of the two children sitting opposite each other. Shinji Matou looked at Sakura Matou nervously, something the younger girl responded to in kind.

Zouken Matou sat serenely on a nearby armchair. Kariya Matou hovered nearby, while Byakuya Matou was nowhere to be found, Zouken having found his current intoxicated state offensive and shooing him away until he sobered up.

Needless to say, the man was not amused. And unsurprisingly, he turned to drowning his 'sorrows' in alcohol alone in the kitchen.

Zouken was not amused, though he for now he decided to focus on his grandchildren.

"So…" Kariya said with a cough. "…why don't you introduce yourselves?"

Shinji and Sakura stared at him, and then back at each other. Finally Shinji took a deep breath and decided to go first. "Um…hello…" he said. "…my name is Shinji Matou. It's nice to meet you, and I hope we can get along. Dad said I'm your older brother, so if you need help with anything, just ask alright?"

For a moment Sakura just stared back, and then she tilted her head. "My name is Sakura Matou." She said. "It's nice to meet you too, and I also hope we can get along. Um…is that all father said to you about me?"

"Yeah, why…?"

Sakura glanced at Zouken. " _Oh well, it has to come out sooner or later._ " She said in Russian, and a pained expression appeared on his face. Sakura turned back to Shinji, and began speaking in Japanese. "I'm the Matou magus."

There was utter, dead silence. And then Kariya groaned, palming his face, while Shinji laughed nervously. "You're joking, right?" he said. "I mean, I'm older than you, and the one with the Matou blood, so I should be the Matou magus. It's my right. You're joking, you have to be, right, right?"

"No, I mean it."

Shinji exploded. "WHY?" he shouted at Sakura while getting to his feet. "YOU'RE AN OUTSIDER! YOU'RE NOT REALLY A MATOU! WHY ARE YOU THE MAGUS?"

Sakura glanced at Zouken, who gave her a reproving look before turning to Shinji. "I really should have this addressed this long before now." He lamented.

"I told you so." Kariya murmured, earning him a glare.

"You be quiet."

"Yes."

Zouken turned back to Shinji. "Shinji…" he began. "…it's true that Sakura doesn't have the Matou blood. However by this point the Matou blood is meaningless. It's a sad truth, but the magic in our blood died in your generation. You are born with dead magic circuits and therefore you cannot become a magus…"

" _Well that's not always true…_ " Sakura thought as she watched and listened to her grandfather lecture her brother. " _…if I remember right it was mentioned in basic magical theory that magic circuits aren't always necessary for Thaumaturgy just for 'normal' magic. I'll have to look it up to be sure, but…_ "

"…so you're just going to give it to this trash of a girl of a girl simply because she has magic circuits?" Shinji suddenly said, and Sakura's thoughts came to an abrupt halt.

"Trash…?" she echoed in a dangerous tone. "What do you mean by that?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Shinji answered with a sneer before pointing at her. "Dad told me, the Tohsaka gave you away because you were useless to them. You're just a spare but since Rin Tohsaka was better in every way there was no point in keeping you around. Pathetic…to think that the Matou family is reduced to giveaways…"

Sakura snapped, and ignoring the fact that her mysteries were at best half-baked and at worst barely put together, she poured prana into her crest and circuits before reaching out at her brother with a claw-like hand. She felt fire in her veins, and tasted and smelled blood. "I…" she spat as Shinji began to clutch and claw desperately at his neck. She barely heard the gasps from the adults, focusing entirely on her brother. "…AM…NOT…A…GIVEAWAY!"

Ignoring the red haze clouding her sight and the piercing pain in her head, she drew her arm back before making a throwing motion. As she moved her arm, Shinji _rose_ from the ground, drew closer to Sakura, and then was hurled clear across the room to slam resoundingly against the wall. As he slumped to the floor, Sakura collapsed on all fours, blood pouring from her ears, eyes, nose, and down her chin to splatter on the ground and on her clothes.

"I'm not…I'm not…" she babbled, struggling to get up. "…I didn't…want…"

She couldn't say anything more before she collapsed, but not before Shinji whimpered in fear. Kariya immediately rushed to her with a shout of her name, while Zouken stared. He glanced at Shinji with crushing disappointment, before turning his attention to the unconscious Sakura.

" _Imaginary Numbers…_ " he thought. " _…the concept behind them is that which is possible but not on the physical plane. So telekinesis – physical movement by_ _ **immaterial**_ _means – is how you'll apply the concept…? Interesting…and unexpected, maybe you can surpass Rin Tohsaka after all._ "

Hobbling over to Sakura, he placed a hand on her and ran a brief diagnostic spell. "Internal bleeding eh…?" he said. "My, my, children really shouldn't push themselves so far. Well no matter, I'll have her fixed up in no time."

"What?" Kariya exploded. "You can't be serious. I won't…"

Zouken rolled his eyes. "Use your head, boy." He snapped. "Of course I won't use…typical methods to patch her up. My master would fry me if I did, and besides…"

"Besides what…?"

"None of your business…" Zouken said before rising to leave. "…stay here, I'll be back shortly."

Zouken left, leaving Kariya alone with Shinji and Sakura. He glanced at his nephew, who whimpered. "I understand how you feel…" he said at length, but refused to relax his glare. "…and Sakura's reasons for being a magus are certainly selfish. But…she didn't ask to be given away. That's why I understand why she'd angrily deny that, just as I understand why you'd be angry at _not_ being a magus. In a way…you already resemble each other, just like siblings should."

"Uncle…"

"Get out…" Kariya snapped. "…I don't want to see you right now, and I expect you to apologize later on."

Shinji fled, and moments later Zouken reappeared clutching a syringe in one hand. "What is that?" Kariya asked.

"I'm still decades away from being able to replicate that potion my master gave me." Zouken said smugly. "But what research I've done compared with the family's existing material has allowed for…new developments. This is one such development."

"And that is…?"

"Regeneration serum…" Zouken replied as he uncapped the needle and gently stabbed it into Sakura's neck. "…it's draining on the body's stamina, but all tests indicate it's safe to use. And it works. Of course, considering Sakura's…weak body, it'll probably mean she'll be bedridden for a few days."

"Better than dead I suppose…" Kariya remarked as he watched Zouken cast another diagnostic spell on Sakura. The old man nodded with satisfaction. "…though her weak body is…"

"She consented to it." Zouken cut him off coldly, and Kariya muttered something unintelligible beneath his breath, and one which Zouken decided to ignore. "…take her up to her room, and keep an eye on her."

"I was going to even if you didn't tell me."

"Good…" Zouken said. "…then I'll leave her to you. Now where's that Shinji? Seeing as he's the one who incited Sakura, I've a mind to have him clean up all this blood."

"He's run off somewhere." Kariya replied as he picked Sakura up and carried her away.

"Did he now?" Zouken said. "We'll see about that."

* * *

"Shirou…" Kiritsugu said as he introduced Shirou to Waver. "…this is Lord Waver El-Melloi II, and he'll be your magical tutor. Waver, this is my son, Shirou Emiya."

"Hello…" Shirou began with a bow. "…my name's Shirou Emiya. It's nice to meet you, and I promise I'll work very hard, and I won't let you down."

"Eager aren't you…?" Waver said with a smile. "Well, we'll see."

Kiritsugu laughed at that, and patted Shirou on the back. "No worries Waver…" he said. "…if there's anything that can be said about this boy of mine, it's that he _never_ gives up."

"Is that right?" Waver said, glancing at Shirou with a measuring light in his eyes. Shirou stared back, his own eyes eager and determined. "That'll come in handy. Too many magi think that success is born of distinguished lineage and 'proper' breeding, but I daresay honest effort and genuine talent is just as important."

Shirou nodded his agreement, and Waver chuckled. "Well they aren't completely wrong either." He conceded. "Magical potential is passed down through blood, and while 'geniuses' appear out of nowhere every so often, most of the time those distinguished lineages do in fact have the genuine talent bred into them."

"But an ordinary person who works twice as hard can draw with or even beat a genius, can't he?" Shirou asked.

"Of course…" Waver said, and then he smirked and winked. "…you're looking at one of them."

"Really…?"

"Yes." Waver agreed. "I'm just a third-generation magus after all, and I don't have a crest. And yet here I am, a lord of the Mages Association. And before that, I…"

"Lord El-Melloi…" Kiritsugu suddenly interrupted. "…perhaps that's a topic for another time."

"Hmm…yes, of course. Sorry about that, I got ahead of myself."

Kiritsugu nodded and Waver coughed as Shirou looked back and forth between them. "Don't worry Shirou…" Kiritsugu assured him. "…Waver will tell you all about it when you're ready."

"When you're older…" Waver replied, and Shirou scowled at once.

"Don't treat me like a kid!" he said, and Waver and Kiritsugu laughed. Realizing how ridiculous he sounded, Shirou rubbed the back of his head.

"But you are a kid." Waver said. "You can't deny that, it's the truth. And if you want to be a magus, you have to accept the truth, no matter how bitter it is. Untruths are hollow, meaningless, and utterly pointless. Truth is the only thing that really matters. Do you understand?"

"Yes!" Shirou said with emphasis. "I understand!"

Waver stared for a moment, and then he laughed. "I don't know why…" he said. "…but you saying that has more impact that anyone else I've ever hear it from."

"Eh?"

"No, it's nothing…" Waver said, and then he trailed off as he heard someone enter the house noisily. He turned to Kiritsugu. "…expecting someone…?"

"Onee-chan…!" Shirou said before running off. Waver raised an eyebrow.

"You have another stepchild…?"

Kiritsugu smiled and shook his head. "No…" he said. "…Shirou just calls her that. And…"

"And…?"

"She reminds me of someone…" Kiritsugu said his voice wistful. "…someone I met a long time ago."

Waver tilted his head questioningly at that, but Kiritsugu didn't answer.

* * *

A/N

Ah the Matou family…even without the worms, they're still a screwed-up bunch. We have a drunkard, an immortal, a sane man (only because Tokiomi is dead and Sakura is being treated alright), and a violent pair of siblings in denial. Shinji knows he can't be a magus but refuses to accept it, while Sakura knows and accepts that she's a giveaway but hates it being brought up (and in such an insulting fashion to boot). Wonderful family, no…?


	6. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own the Fate franchise it belongs to Kinoko Nasu and Type-Moon.

Jewels and Crows

Chapter 5

"Is that so now?" Taiga Fujimura remarked as she sat across the dinner table from Lord Waver El-Melloi II. "But, while I'm happy that Shirou is being evaluated for a chance to study oversees at that…um…what was it again?"

"The Clock Tower Academy…" Waver replied with a completely straight face. Well, it wasn't a _complete_ lie.

"Yes, the Clock Tower…" Taiga echoed. "…but isn't it a bit far for someone as young as he is to study at?"

"That much is true…" Waver agreed. The college student seated across from him seemed good-hearted and genuinely-caring for Shirou Emiya, but awfully-honest for all that. And given the people he rubbed shoulders with all the time at the Clock Tower – students, instructors, and just associates in general – it was a very refreshing encounter. "…however Shirou doesn't necessarily have to transfer now, and can simply take…additional units of personal study for later admittance."

"Like college you mean…?"

"Yes, like college." Waver said with a nod. Younger members of the Association studying at Clock Tower either went to mundane schools for their non-magical education, at least for the poorer or lower-class ones, with the richer or higher-class students having tutors for that side of the education. However just as many magi did not go to the Clock Tower until after they finished their mundane education, and by the time they did join these ones had no need for the standard five years at the Department of General Fundamentals (having learned the common mysteries known to all magi from their family before then) and may join a higher department with only a cursory examination for ranking purposes. "While the Clock Tower does offer lower levels of education, we're primarily a tertiary-level educational organization."

"Big words…" Taiga groaned. "…you could have said so from the very beginning and we'd have avoided all the back and forth stuff."

Everyone else laughed at that, including Waver. "Sorry about that…" he admitted. "…I suppose I could have done that only, well, I guess I've been hanging around too much with snobby, upper-class socialites that they've been rubbing off on me."

"Oh it's nothing to be sorry about." Taiga reassured him with a grin. "To be honest I don't think there's anything wrong with either being polite or having a stiff upper-lip, but there's no need either to use big words all the time, is there?"

"No I guess not." Waver admitted, and everyone laughed. "With all that said though, it's not really an evaluation, at least not completely. Evaluation-wise, I'll just find places where he's lacking, and advise him on how to follow those up. I will also advice on what courses would be best suited for him should he enter the Clock Tower in the future, and of course, I can and will provide letters of recommendation if needed."

"More big words…" Taiga said with a laugh. "…though it gets the point across clearly this time."

Waver smiled but didn't say anything, and Taiga glanced at Kiritsugu who'd been silent this whole time. "Well it's all up to you Kiritsugu…" she said. "…and of course, Shirou has to choose in the end."

"I'll trust Lord El-Melloi's judgment." Kiritsugu said, and Shirou nodded.

"I want to join the Clock Tower in the future." He said. "And I'll work to get there, I promise!"

"Ha, cheeky boy…" Taiga said before giving a sigh. "…really now, there are plenty of good colleges in Japan, and while ambition is good, you should keep your options open."

Waver nodded his agreement. "I wouldn't want to undermine myself…" he said. "…but I wouldn't want to be seen as restricting Shirou's choices either. The Clock Tower is an open choice for you but remember: it's not the only one."

Shirou nodded. "Yes." He said. "I understand."

The doorbell rang, and from the shout outside it was clear their delivery was there. "Oh it's alright…" Taiga said, waving at Kiritsugu and Shirou to stay seated. "…I'll get it."

As she went off to get the door, Waver briefly followed her with his eyes before glancing at Kiritsugu beside him. "She seems like a nice girl." He said softly. "Even if she isn't a magus, she seems like a…suitable role model."

"Yes…" Kiritsugu agreed. "…Shirley was just like her too."

"Huh? Shirley…?"

Kiritsugu blinked and then shook his head. "No…" he said. "…it's nothing. Just an old man talked to himself…"

"You're not that old." Waver replied, but Kiritsugu nodded.

"Probably not…" he said, and then he smirked at Waver. "…she's about your age though, Taiga that is."

Waver snorted at the insinuation. "As if I have the time…" he said. "…or the freedom for that…"

Shirou tilted his head questioningly at their vague discussion. "What are you talking about?" he asked.

"Grownup stuff…" Waver said with a smirk. "…you'll find out when you're older."

"Don't treat me like a kid!" Shirou exploded as Taiga arrived with the Chinese delivery.

"Really Shirou…?" she asked as went to the adjoining kitchen. "Are you really to go with that? But, you're just nine years-old aren't you? I'd say that makes you a kid doesn't it?"

"Onee-chan you too…?" Shirou said with a betrayed expression and tone as Kiritsugu and Waver laughed. Taiga scowled and waved a serving spoon in their direction.

"You two, don't laugh!" she said. "Just because Shirou's still in denial over still being a kid, it doesn't mean you can make fun of him over it, you pair of dirty old men!"

"Hey…!" Waver protested as Kiritsugu coughed discreetly. Waver shot him a glance, and then clamming up, crossed his arms over his chest.

"Now Shirou…" Taiga said as she spotted Shirou sticking his tongue out at the two older men. "…help you nee-chan prepare dinner so we can eat early."

"Yes!"

* * *

"So let me get this straight…" Waver began as he sat cross-legged floor in Shirou's 'base'. Or to better or rather _properly_ call it, the boy's workshop (apparently – and assuming he actually had one – Kiritsugu had his workshop elsewhere). "…you've never actually opened your magic circuits?"

"No."

"And whenever you use magecraft, or _try_ to, you just 'make' one?"

"Yes!"

Waver reached forward and with reinforced fingers flicked Shirou on the forehead. As the boy tumbled back, Waver rubbed his forehead and mentally counted to ten. "What was that for?" Shirou protested.

"Idiot…!" Waver shouted back. "You're going to kill yourself doing that someday. For every nerve that is…altered into a magic circuit, your own nervous system is irreparably-damaged. Didn't your father tell you how dangerous that is? You could end up paralyzed or worse!"

Shirou looked away. "Dad never tells me anything." He said softly. "And…I didn't tell him about it. And besides, aren't magi supposed to keep their magic secret?"

"Not inside your own family…" Waver snapped. It wasn't completely true, different magi from different branches of the same family or clan did keep secrets from each other, but it wasn't a complete lie either. "…I understand your father wouldn't have been able to teach you much considering…his condition…"

Waver trailed off, Shirou staying silent. At length, the former sighed and spoke up. "…you know that magic is dangerous, both to others and its user, yes?" he asked.

Shirou nodded. "Yes." He said. "Dad taught me that much."

"Then you should have had the prudence to at least _ask_ him if you were doing it right." Waver said. "He's told me that seeing as you've managed at least a _little_ amount of magecraft he'd assumed you managed to open your circuits on your own, though on his part I doubt he'd have much indication that you were doing things wrong…dangerously so. Please, until you've reached a level of adeptness in the art, ask his or mine or any magus you trust their opinion about your magecraft in the future, alright?"

 _Though Kiritsugu Emiya_ _ **should**_ _have been keeping a better eye on his son regardless…then again, he_ _ **is**_ _terminally-ill, so I suppose one can't expect so much from the man._

"Yes I understand." Shirou said with a nod. Inwardly he was kicking himself. Oh his father hadn't been teaching him much, between his disease and business overseas and across the city, but he had encouraged Shirou to study and find his own way on his own. But even as young as he was, Shirou already knew that freedom brought responsibility with it.

And he had been told of how dangerous magic could be. In hindsight, he really should have been asking if he was doing anything wrong instead of just making things up along the way.

"Good…" Waver said before taking a deep breath. He scratched at his head and tapped his chin, and finally came to a decision. "…well I don't have what I need to open your magic circuits with me right now, so I doubt if we can get anything more done tonight. Tomorrow evening and the evenings of the next two weeks though, well we'll see what and how much you're capable of."

Waver paused and smirked. "And don't think just because I have to go back to London after those two weeks you'll be able to slacken off." He said. "I'm going to send you regular exercises after all, and depending on your father's health, I'll either be back or you'll be heading to London for the next summer."

Shirou stared at Waver determinedly. "I don't plan on slacking off, Waver-nii." He said, and to his surprise, Waver chuckled and nodded.

"No, I don't think you would." He agreed. "That's one thing I can count on at least, unlike some of the rich slackers that end up in the Clock Tower at times. And that's something you should be proud of, and always have as long as you're a magus. I won't lie to you Shirou, Orientals like you aren't very well-regarded in the Clock Tower."

"We're not?"

"Nope…" Waver said. "…and even I can't say I was free of that."

"Oh…"

"Hey now…" Waver reassured him. "…that was a long time ago, several years in fact. And then I met someone who taught me to look beyond the superficial, and give everyone a chance to shine. And you know what, because of that, despite so many of them looking like slackers and ne'er do wells on the surface, when you give them incentive and encouragement my students _always_ turn out as the best they can be."

"I won't break your record then, Waver-nii!" Shirou promised, and Waver smiled.

"I'm sure you won't." he said, and Shirou nodded.

"Hey Waver-nii…"

"Hmm…?"

"Who taught you that?"

Waver blinked and then laughed. "He was the greatest man I have ever met…" he finally said. "…and in my belief, the greatest man to have ever lived. The world won't see his like ever again, I'm sorry to say. One day I'll tell you all about him, the great and powerful King of Conquerors."

"King of…Conquerors…?" Shirou echoed, and Waver nodded.

"Yes." Waver said, deciding it better to keep the details and most of the facts quiet for now. Things like the Heaven's Feel rituals, the blood and fire of the fourth such ritual (which he – Waver – had learned from Kiritsugu had personally scarred Shirou though Kiritsugu never spoke of the details), which were part of his encounter with the King of Conquerors…it was far too soon for Shirou to know.

"Promise…?" Shirou asked with a slightly-mutinous expression, and Waver nodded.

"I promise." He said, and the boy brightened up at once. Waver smiled, and got to his feet. As Shirou followed suit though, he remembered something. "Oh yes, I almost forgot. Tell me Shirou, do you know what Origin and the Elements are?"

"Yes." Shirou said. "Dad taught me about those. The origin is…um…the concept around which a person is…well, it's what they are. The concept behind a person…! And a person's life reflects that concept."

"Very good…" Waver said with a nod. "…and the Elements…?"

"They're what make the World up." Shirou said. "There's the 'common' element Fire, then Water, Earth, then the 'noble' element Wind, and finally the Void."

"The Void is also known by…?"

"Eh?"

"I see." Waver said with a sigh. "No, it's alright. It's a bit advanced but, just a bit of additional info. The Void is also called the Fifth Imaginary Element, and as Ether. Also, people with affinities for all five elements are…?"

"Average Ones…" Shirou replied with a knowing smile. "…they're very rare, and are highly-valued by the Association and magi in general."

"Very good…" Waver praised him, and Shirou laughed nervously, looking away while rubbing the back of his head. "…most people have an affinity for one or two elements, rarely more, and of course there are the Average Ones. However do you know of the advanced – for lack of a better word – elements?"

"There are more than five elements?" Shirou asked in surprise.

"Yes…" Waver said. "…though no one gets an affinity with them, except as part of a Sorcery Trait. And one of them will probably never even have that: the Fifth True Element is a product of alchemy, and it reacts…violently to Ether. You might even compare it to anti-matter."

Shirou stared at Waver, and Waver glanced at him. "Why are they called the imaginary and true…?" he asked, and Waver thought for a moment.

"That is a very good question." He eventually answered. "Unfortunately no simple answer exists. If you want to know more, you'll have to take either or both advanced alchemy and elemental magecraft at either the Clock Tower or Atlas. I advise the former: Atlas is…well people there are crazy."

Shirou tilted his head questioningly, but Waver didn't answer. Instead he glanced at Shirou in a measuring fashion. "Your father never identified your Origin or Elemental Affinity, did he?" he asked.

"No."

"So he said…" Waver said with a nod. "…well, before we call it a night, shall we find out? You'll have to take off that shirt though. Is it alright? You can call your dad over if you don't want to be alone."

"No it's fine." Shirou said, unbuttoning his shirt. After a few moments Waver raised a hand and placed it over Shirou's heart. Whispering an aria under his breath, Waver sent prana through his magic circuits, and over and through Shirou's conceptual structure. Unused magic circuits responded instinctively, fighting off the foreign intrusion but in so doing allowed it to find out what the magus wanted.

Waver's eyes widened, blurry images of a golden sword and a barren landscape under an eternal sunset flashing through binary nonsense and conceptual data. "No way…" he whispered as he took a step back.

"Waver-nii…?" Shirou asked. Waver shook his head and regarded Shirou seriously. "I think I made a mistake. Do you mind if I check it again?"

Shirou shook his head, and Waver repeated the test a second time. The result was the same. As he told Shirou to put his shirt back on, Waver thought on his findings, and remembered Zelretch's words when he asked Waver to offer Kiritsugu his – Waver's – assistance with training his son.

 _Trust me boy, the Emiya boy is more interesting than you know._

" _Damn you, you old vampire…_ " he thought darkly. " _…you knew about this, and you wanted to find out. Why?_ "

He glanced at Shirou. After a moment he nodded. "That's enough for tonight." He said before giving a slight smile. "Now let's go back. I need to talk to your father before I leave."

"Okay."

* * *

There came a series of heavy knocks on the door, and Risei Kotomine hobbled to open it. Despite his best efforts, in the end he was just an ordinary Human. He might be fit even when compared to a man in the prime of his life, but ultimately even he couldn't shake off the spectre of death.

Unless he used magical means to extend it, and while offers had been made, he'd ultimately turned them down.

When his time came, he would go. With that said though, he would not leave his son alone and unguided in life. Despite his efforts, despite his son Kirei's faith, his attempt at gaining a family, even serving for a time as an executor and later on as an apprentice to a magus (and a secret Christian to boot), and even as an instructor to his late mentor's daughter and heiress, Kirei could still find no real meaning and purpose in his life.

Risei had done all he could to help his son, even if it was only to keep him from falling into an abyss of despair and nihilism. And should he die…

Risei shook his head of the thought as he opened the church doors. It was late, very late in fact, but the doors of the church were open to any who came in peace. And this visitor was not just another visitor, she was _family_ and therefore expected.

He doubted that she could succeed where he – Risei – and her mother had failed, but she should be more than capable of succeeding Risei's role in keeping her father on the brink, even if she couldn't pull him back.

"Sister Ortensia…" Risei said with a bow, a bow that Caren Ortensia returned. "…good evening, and welcome to Kotomine Church. We have been expecting you."

"My apologies for being late…" Caren said as she entered the church, pulling her travel bag behind her on wheels. "…my flight from Europe was unfortunately delayed."

"Such is international travel…" Risei said. He paused as he closed the doors, and then he smiled at Caren. "…it's been a long time, granddaughter."

Caren didn't reply for a moment, and then she gave a small nod. "So it has…" she said. "…grandfather."

Risei chuckled. "You're very much like your father, I see." He said as he led her into the church's residential area.

"Thank you for the compliment." She replied, with that same, deadpan tone of her father. The only difference of course, was her light, almost-musical, and undoubtedly-feminine voice. Though if she were a _son_ as opposed to a _daughter_ , she'd probably sound and would look just like her father.

 _Thankfully she doesn't appear to share my son's lack of purpose and meaning._

Risei gestured for Caren to leave her bag in the foyer, and led her to the dining room. The sound of a little boy talking energetically filtered through the door, and caused a single platinum-blonde eyebrow to rise. "We have guests…?" she asked.

Risei smiled. "I suppose you could say that." He said, before opening the door. Her father was there, sitting at the table. But also at the table was a young boy of around ten, blonde with a sunny disposition. She might even say too sunny, the boy's smile seemingly causing the entire room to feel bright and warm for some incomprehensible, psychological reason.

 _It could also be magic._

"Caren…" Kirei said softly, and Caren nodded a greeting.

"Father…" she said. "…it's been a long time."

Understatement: as far as she knew, her father hadn't been close to her since her mother had died, and she'd been raised by her mother's family before she'd joined the Holy Church.

"You look well." Caren said.

"Likewise…" Kirei replied.

An extremely-awkward atmosphere immediately settled on the dining room in the wake of such an exchange. Kirei…well he looked as he always did, stoic and unfeeling towards the world around him, if perfectly-aware. Caren…was pretty much the same, just replace unfeeling with unconcerned.

And then the little boy padded his way towards Caren. Caren tilted her head downward to look at him. "May I help you?" she asked.

The little boy beamed at her. "So you're Uncle Kirei's daughter?" he asked. "It's nice to meet you, my name's Gilgamesh, but you can just call me Gil-kun!"

"Gilgamesh…?" Caren echoed.

Gil-kun nodded. "Yup!" he said happily. "As in Gilgamesh, King of Heroes and of Uruk…! My parents were King Lugalbanda and the goddess Ninsun, and my best friend was Enkidu."

The boy looked sad at that last part though, and he suddenly looked away. Caren took the opportunity to look up. "This is nice and all…" she said. "…but who is he really?"

Kirei and Risei made to respond, but Gil-kun beat them to the punch. "Gilgamesh is Gilgamesh, Caren-neechan." He said. "Is something wrong with that?"

Caren stared at him. He stared back. She stared at her father. Kirei stared at Risei. Caren stared at Risei. Gil-kun blinked, and then he stared at Risei.

The old man sighed. "Let's sit down…" he said. "…this is going to be a long talk, from the look of things."

* * *

"We've got a problem, Kiritsugu Emiya." Waver said after making sure he'd laid down enough bounded fields to keep anyone from just bursting in or spying in on them.

"What's that?" Kiritsugu asked. In the past he'd be personally-concerned with Waver's precautions, but right now he couldn't care less, or rather was less paranoid about it. Waver might be a magus, but he was a scholar and an instructor. Not that it made him any less formidable: his surviving the Holy Grail War where 'geniuses' like Kayneth and 'archetypal magi' like Tokiomi had died proved that fact. Nevertheless, he doubted murder was in the boy's character.

If he had to kill someone – and Kiritsugu didn't doubt that Waver could if he needed to – he'd do it openly without any more tricks and deceptions than necessary.

"Did you know your son's origin and elemental affinity are aligned?" Waver asked, and Kiritsugu's head turned to face him abruptly.

"What?"

"His origin is sword, and his elemental affinity is sword." Waver said, beginning to pace. "From your reaction you didn't know. Still that doesn't change the fact that should this get out…"

"Lords and other such individuals from across the Association will want to get their hands on him." Kiritsugu said darkly. "He won't be able to become an orthodox magus there's no doubt about it, but as a specialist once he masters his alignment he'd have the potential to push his magecraft to a level infinitely-close to True Magic. And that's the best case scenario: to become a pawn or an agent or whatnot among the power players of the Association. In the worst case…"

"He'll be a guinea pig." Waver said just as darkly, and Kiritsugu narrowed his eyes.

"Did you know about this beforehand, Velvet?"

"Not I…" Waver replied. "…Zelretch merely said the boy had potential. And that brings us to the real problem…"

"Just what is the Jewel Master plotting?" Kiritsugu said darkly.

"I don't know." Waver said. "But whatever it is, we probably won't find out what it is until it starts rolling."

"If it hasn't already started…" Kiritsugu growled, and Waver winced.

"There's that too." He agreed. "With that said…"

"Yes…" Kiritsugu agreed. "…we should take precautions for what Zelretch could be plotting – for all the good they'll do but it never hurts to try – but we should probably focus on keeping the Archisorte and the greater El-Melloi faction from finding out about this. I've no doubt that they'd press Shirou into being their retainer as 'payment' for Kayneth's lost crest."

Waver snorted. "Yeah…" he said. "…that sounds a lot like what Reines would probably do."

"Reines…?"

"My sister and the head of the El-Melloi faction…" Waver replied. "…Reines Archisorte El-Melloi."

"I see." Kiritsugu said before looking away for several moments. And then he returned his gaze to Waver. "Can I trust you?"

Waver didn't answer at once. Eventually he did. "Yes…" he said. "…as a servant of the King, and on my pride as a teacher, I'll keep my student's secret, even if he's only been that for less than an hour. However…"

"However…?"

"Isn't there a chance that Zelretch might already have informed the rest of the El-Melloi…?"

Kiritsugu's eyes widened and narrowed in quick succession. "If so…" he eventually said. "…then we are in serious trouble."

* * *

"So let me get this straight…" Caren began as they munched on coffee and cake after dinner. "…you found Gil-kun wandering around the ruins of the Fuyuki Fire, apparently having been granted…physical incarnation by the lingering energies of the malfunctioned grail of the last Heaven's Feel ritual."

"Yes." Kirei replied.

"And you were there trying to see if Tohsaka had survived his final confrontation with Emiya."

"Yes."

"He did not, though Emiya did."

"Yes."

"And Emiya, having been scarred and broken by the catastrophic failure of the Heaven's Feel ritual…" Caren said, turning to her grandfather. "…decided to settle down in this city…"

"I spoke with Emiya myself." Risei said. "The man was…broken, a hollow shell of who he once was. One could even say he was and is a different man to the one once known as the Magus Killer. And he certainly seemed sincere in his desire to be allowed to live what was left of his life in peace here in the city."

"I see." Caren said, and after a moment she nodded. "Then I will trust your judgment. What of the Supervisor though? Does she know?"

"Not yet…" Risei said. "…but her mother does."

"I see." Caren said, turning back to Gil-kun who was happily focused on his generous slice of cake. She then turned to her father. "And since you obviously couldn't just leave a reincarnated Servant who for some reason reverted back into a child just wandering around, you took him."

"That is correct."

"Is my presence here then to be another babysitter?"

"Not quite…" Risei replied. "…it's part of the reason, but there's another. That is the fact that I'm old. I won't last for much longer I'm afraid, and well, I'd like to have Kirei at least family to keep him company."

"Family eh…?" Caren mused thoughtfully.

"Granduncle…" Gil-kun said, and Risei smiled at him.

"I know what you're going to say…" he said. "…and while I'm grateful for your offer, I must refuse. We all have to die someday, so shall I not face my end with pride and dignity?"

Gil-kun lowered his head, and nodded before turning back to sadly-poking at his cake with a fork. Caren raised her eyebrows. No surprise then that just as his smile could brighten a room it seemed that Gilgamesh's own gloom could darken it.

 _Servant Charisma…impressive effect…_

"It'll be alright." Risei reassured Gil-kun. "Kirei will be here and of course Caren too."

Gil-kun raised his head, and Risei smiled reassuringly at him. He smiled back, and turned to Caren. Caren stared at him, and then with a sigh gave a reserved smile. "I understand." She said. "I'll keep my father company, and look after you, Gil-kun. Let's try and get along alright?"

Gil-kun nodded, and smiled brighter. "Okay…!" he said. "Let's get along Caren-neechan!"

* * *

A/N

Heaven's Thesis: what makes you think it was a mistake born of auto-correct?

7137: no, it's Taiga. I'm fairly certain that Kiritsugu admitted in canon that she resembles Shirley (reincarnation is a thing in the Nasuverse to boot).

Writing interactions between Caren and Kirei is very painful for one reason or another. And no, I won't be taking away Shirou's superhero mentality. That part of him is integral to his nature after all, though Waver will certainly have an influence on him.

Kirei…Gilgamesh failed to corrupt him, which is why he leaves Kiritsugu alone. In canon I'm not sure why, but here since Kirei hasn't accepted his evil nature, he stays away from Kiritsugu because he doesn't _want_ to enjoy watching the man's slow demise. As for why Gil is in his child form, well he took his potion earlier than in canon – IIRC he spent much of the ten years between grail wars as a child – because there was no one else of note in the ruins apart from Kiritsugu after the grail blew up, and he got bored and decided to become a child to avoid getting 'defiled' by having to deal with the aftereffects of the explosion (Kirei didn't show up until the following morning having sat the final battle out).


	7. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own the Fate franchise it belongs to Kinoko Nasu and Type-Moon.

Jewels and Crows

Chapter 6

"My head hurts."

Kariya looked on with bemusement as Sakura – still dressed in her pyjamas – slumped on the table. "That's why I said you should wait in bed for me to bring you breakfast." He said. "You have been out like a light for three days, you know? I imagine being up and about so soon a shock in its own way."

"I don't need or want special treatment." Sakura said, and rousing herself to a sitting position as Kariya placed a bowl and spoons in front of her. A cereal container followed, then a bottle of milk and a container of sugar, and finally a glass of orange juice. "Thank you."

Kariya looked on in silence, taking a seat and nursing a mug of coffee as Sakura prepared her breakfast. He stayed silent as she ate. Eventually though Sakura began to speak up. "Where's everyone?" she asked.

"Your brother's in school." He replied. "Zouken's in his workshop and Byakuya…well he's run off someplace."

"Is that so…" Sakura replied. "…hey, what time is Shinji-nii coming home?"

"Why do you ask? Do you want to apologize for throwing him against a wall?"

Sakura's eyes looked away. "Maybe…" she replied evasively, and Kariya sighed.

"He'll be back the same time you'd usually get home after school." He said. "He's only one grade above you after all."

"Is that so? Then it's okay."

Sakura fell silent, again focusing on her breakfast. Kariya also stayed quiet, letting Sakura finish her meal in peace. Once she finished though, he immediately spoke up. "So…" he began. "…what do you want to do today? You don't need to go to school today – obviously considering the time right now – but I don't imagine you'd want to stay in the house all day either."

Sakura briefly considered, her fingers idly pulling and tugging at her single lock of silver hair. "I did want to get some personal stuff done…" she said. "…but that'd probably make my head hurt…again."

"Yes, it probably would." Kariya agreed, and Sakura glanced at him.

"What do you suggest?" she asked.

Kariya briefly thought. "Would you like to go out today?" he asked with a smile.

"No."

Kariya nearly face faulted at Sakura's flat response. "And why not…?" he asked.

"One, I'll probably get as tired going out as doing magic." She said. "And two, it'll probably make my brother jealous again. He might say something again, and then I'll have more to say sorry for."

"Huh…" Kariya said while crossing her arms. "…so you do want to get along with him."

"I want to try at least."

Kariya chuckled and nodded. "Okay…" he said. "…so what do you want to do the whole day?"

"First, I'll take a bath." Sakura said. "And then…then I'll either get some more rest – I have to go to school tomorrow after all – or I'll find something to keep me busy."

Kariya was silent for a moment, and then sighing gave a nod. "Well your reasoning's sound…" he said. "…so if that's what you want, then it's okay."

Sakura nodded, and gathering her used bowl and utensils took them to the sink.

* * *

"I see…" Martha Mackenzie remarked as she brought tea and biscuits for her husband and Waver. "…so you're here to evaluate a prospective student. I'm glad to see you've succeeded so much, and in more ways than one, to the point you're evaluating future students of your own. Well done…"

"Thank you…" Waver replied politely and with a smile. "…though I can't really say I've advanced that far."

"Oh how modest…" Martha said, and she and Glen laughed. "…true, you're not married and you don't have children of your own yet. A person can't really be said to have succeeded in life until they have a big happy family of their own."

Waver choked on his tea at that, and again the Mackenzies laughed. "Well you've certainly got the looks to cause girls' hearts to throb…" Glen mused. "…though if you'll take my advice, it's usually the ones who _don't_ let it show that are the most suitable."

"Glen…" Waver said with a pained expression on his face. "…I…I'm not really aiming for a family yet so…"

"Hmm…" Glen murmured as Waver trailed off. "…well I suppose there's no point in marrying too early. Enjoy life while you can, see the world and go as far as possible until you decide to settle down. Mind you, settling down is as rewarding as the freedom of youth."

"Though that's only if you have someone by your side…" Martha added sagely. "…otherwise, it's going to be a rather lonely life. In that case, you'd probably be better served continuing to chase after whatever gives your life meaning, otherwise you'll just waste what's left of your life away without meaning. I've seen too many friends and acquaintances go out like that. I wouldn't want to see that happen to you."

Waver nodded his understanding. Though Glen and Martha had since realized he wasn't really their grandson, they still treated him as family, and he reciprocated. And magi or not, their age left them with a pool of common wisdom sorely lacking in most magi. Any advice they gave was not to be discarded easily.

"I understand." He said. "And thank you for the advice. Right now though, I'm content with teaching my students, though if that changes in the future…well, we'll see."

Glen and Martha nodded. And then the latter smirked and leaned forward across the table. "If you ever have children of your own though…" she said. "…be sure to bring them along at least for one visit, alright?"

Waver blinked at that, and then chuckled. "Yes, I will." He said, and the Mackenzies beamed. "Now then, would you like to go out for lunch? It's a bit early, but we'd best get going before the best restaurants get full. It's on me."

"Well if that's the case then don't mind us if we take the invitation." Glen said with a laugh. "We'll just go and get ready then."

Waver nodded, and the Mackenzies rose and left to get ready for their excursion for the day.

* * *

Sakura watched discreetly through a gap in the curtains as her uncle left the house. She waited until he closed the front gates behind him, to go and buy lunch for the three of them in the house. Once she was sure, she went over to the desk in her room, and rummaging through her several toolkits she found what she was looking for: a small vial of blue-coloured liquid.

She opened and drank the vial, and sank to her knees at the utterly-vile taste. Shaking her head at the brief moment of nausea caused by the vitality draft, she stoppered and kept the empty vial away, and then taking other toolkits with her made for her aviary. " _Power is knowledge incarnate._ " She remembered her grandfather's words as she walked down the path behind the house leading into the newly-built aviary. " _Knowledge is the essence of truth. And truth is what a magus seeks._ "

She paused before the door of the aviary, another set of words coming to mind.

 _Power demands sacrifice._

Closing the grilled door behind her, she took a moment to look over the place. Several large trees dominated the huge, grilled dome, which was completely sealed off. " _I've to change that in the future._ " She thought. " _The top has to be open for the birds to fly in and out. And there needs to be more plants in here. Vines for the grills, and the trees need to be less…groomed. And of course…_ "

Sakura sat down on the ground, and opened one of her toolkits. She took out a ritual dagger, which she tied with rope to the end of a nearby stick. Using it she began to draw a magic circle on the ground, near the largest tree which stood at the general centre of the aviary.

Once the circle was drawn, she untied the dagger, and used it to cut her palm. Squeezing out her blood, she liberally emphasized her circle with her blood, and then used a simple healing spell to heal her injury. Heading back to her kits, she took a prana supplement, and then returned to her magic circle.

Again, she slit her palm though on the other hand this time, and standing in the middle of the circle as she did so. The circle didn't glow, but the air grew heavy and began to stink with ozone. Sakura closed her eyes as she began her rituals.

Over the next half-hour, Sakura laid down several bounded fields over the aviary. The first declared it as her territory, with the edge of the field outlined by the aviary's metal frame. The second field was laid on top of the first field, and along with it served as a 'foundation' to 'anchor' succeeding fields. The third field was a privacy ward, to keep familiars not belonging to her or authorized by her from operating within her territory. The fourth field was a different one, and extremely complicated. It bound itself to the plants within the territory, allowing Sakura to control their growth and even their functions to an extent.

It was however incomplete, and would require additional rituals to complete, to say nothing of blood offerings to complete the binding. The fifth field was a defensive measure, designed to reinforce – but beyond ordinary reinforcement magecraft – the aviary against physical and magical attack. The sixth was also defensive, keeping anything or anyone unauthorized from entering.

That last one would have to be further refined in the future, but for now it would do.

The seventh field tied-in with the Matou bounded fields covering the property, making it even easier to use her magic and draw on prana within the territory. An existing field already existed on the Matou property for the convenience of the Matou magi, but this further enhanced the effect.

That same effect allowed her to use multiple ten-count spells without overly-exhausting herself, though she needed plenty of prana supplements. However even with the vitality draft she took earlier, and the assistance of the Matou bounded fields, it was a huge strain on her, _especially_ since her rituals required a blood sacrifice on her part.

Staggering from blood loss, she closed her wound and after double-checking her work shambled back from the aviary and thence to her room. She closed and locked the door behind her, and collapsing into bed, would spend the next several hours out cold.

* * *

Kariya was not amused.

Zouken was though.

"I thought you said you wouldn't use magic." Kariya said to a sleepy Sakura.

"I didn't say that." She said while rubbing her eyes. "I only said it might make my head hurt. I also said I'd keep myself busy. And I did. I've finished the first few preparations for my new workshop, out in my aviary."

Kariya took a deep breath and began to count to ten. Zouken's amused cackles weren't helping. "Um…" a new voice from the living room's doorway caught their attention. Heads turned to see Shinji Matou peering nervously into the room. "…what's going on?"

"Ahem…" Zouken said with a faked cough before walking over to a shadowed patch of wall. "…well if you'll excuse I have other matters to attend to. Kariya I'll leave this to you."

"Hey wait…!" Kariya blurted out, but it was too late. Zouken walked into the shadow, and vanished.

"How does he do that?" Sakura asked with evident curiosity.

"I don't know, and I don't want to know." Kariya replied shortly. As Shinji cautiously entered the room, Kariya fixed Sakura with a piercing glance. The girl fidgeted, scratching uneasily at her head, and then sighing got up and bowed to Shinji.

"Um…I'm sorry for throwing you against the wall like that." She said. "I lost control of my temper, so…um…sorry."

For a moment there was silence, and Kariya discreetly glanced at Shinji. There was…something about his body language that didn't quite sit well with him, but before either of them could respond, Sakura was moving on. She straightened, her expression determined.

"But…" she said. "…I won't say sorry for anything that's not my fault. Whether it's being thrown away by Tokiomi-san, and becoming the magus in your place…none of that is my fault. I'm just doing the best I can where I am right now, and I always will."

Shinji glared at Sakura at the implied mention of his lack of magical ability, but she stared him down. The standoff lasted for several minutes, and then Shinji sneered and stomped off. "Humph…" he said. "…so you're just taking advantage of the situation. I'm not surprised. Still, even if you're not a Matou by blood, maybe you have the pride of one…"

He trailed off as he stomped away, and Sakura scoffed and flicked her silver lock in disdain. "Jerk…" she said darkly. "…I can't believe I have to call him onii-san. Well I'm different from him. I'm better than him, so I'll do better than him."

"Really…" Kariya said sceptically, and he sighed. "…honestly, you siblings are so alike that it's making my head hurt."

"Huh?" Sakura responded. "We are nothing alike!"

Kariya stared at her, and then with a sigh walked off. "I need to prepare dinner." He said. "Don't mind me I can handle things just fine. Go and keep yourself busy, just don't pick a fight with your brother alright?"

"Yes, yes."

* * *

"Then…" Kirei Kotomine said to Aoi and Rin Tohsaka in the Tohsaka Mansion's foyer. "…allow me to introduce my daughter, Caren Ortensia. In light of my father's declining health, she will be residing henceforth here at Fuyuki City to assist in our duties."

That Risei might die soon was not spoken. But then again it didn't need to be.

Caren bowed. "Good evening." She said. "I am Caren Ortensia. It's very nice to meet you, and I hope to get along."

"It's nice to meet you too." Aoi said with a matching bow. "I am Aoi Tohsaka, and this is my daughter, Rin."

Rin bowed. "I am Rin Tohsaka." She said. "It's nice to meet you too, and I too would like to get along."

Caren nodded, and Aoi smiled. "Rin is the heiress of the Tohsaka family." She said. "Your family, both your father and grandfather have done much for us. I would thank you for that, and also thank you in advance for any help that you would provide us in the future."

"Of course…" Caren said with a nod. "…the Holy Church extends its hand to all its children, be they in the open or hidden. It is only proper, and it is our obligation and privilege to be of such assistance."

Aoi nodded, and looked to Kirei. "Well then…" she said. "…shall we go proceed to the dining room?"

Kirei and Caren nodded, and Aoi and Rin led them there. "Is there something wrong, Caren?" Kirei asked as he noticed his daughter looking around her with a bemused air.

"No…" she said. "…I was just being curious. This is my first time inside a magus household after all. And while the two of us have some skill in specialized branches of magecraft, we're not exactly magi."

"That is true."

"You can use magic?" Rin asked Caren, and a cool smile graced the young priestess' face.

"I am a fully-qualified exorcist of the Holy Church, little magus." She said, and Rin scowled.

"Don't call me little!" she said loudly, but Caren retained her serene expression.

"My apologies if I seemed rude…" she said. "…I was just making an observation, and it was not my intention to cause offence."

Rin's scowl darkened, and with a small laugh Aoi patted her on the head. "Now, now Rin…" she said. "…the priestess has made her apologies. Be graceful and accept it. And in any case, while there's no doubt you'll grow in the future right now you are little."

Aoi's expression fell slightly. "And…" she said. "…you will always be my little girl, won't you?"

Rin looked briefly surprised at that, and then she smiled and nodded. "Yes!" she said. "I always will, mother…though only to you."

Aoi chuckled at that. "Yes of course." She said with another pat on Rin's head.

* * *

"Ah Waver…" Kiritsugu said as he greeted Waver's return and escorted him to the living room. "…I trust everything went well."

"I suppose you could say that." Waver replied. "Where's Shirou? Out on an errand…?"

"No…" Kiritsugu said. "…friends this time. He usually gets home around this time when he goes out with them, so he should be along soon enough."

"Is that so?"

"Yes…" Kiritsugu said. The two men sat down at the table. "…now then, last night we were largely-concerned with the consequences of Shirou's unique talents getting out, not just to the Association in general but also to the El-Melloi faction in particular. However we ended our discussion last night on the conclusion that all we – or rather you considering my condition – could do about it is, well, moderate the consequences. Therefore let's move on to the next topic, while Shirou isn't here."

"His magical education…" Waver said, and Kiritsugu nodded.

"Quite…" he said. "…in light of your findings, his compatibility with material transmutation suddenly becomes natural in hindsight. So long as he can apply the concept of 'sword' to an object – even if he doesn't consciously realize it yet – he is able to understand, manipulate, and even replicate to an incredibly-precise degree its fundamental structure. And even if he can't apply the concept, his continued practice in the field would eventually redound to a high-level of adeptness in the field alone."

"Simple is best." Waver said. "That's the guiding philosophy of the White Wing Lord, and possibly the Barthomeloi. Though that last is debatable and lacks proof outside of the Vice Director: focusing purely on basic magecraft, through her Sorcery Trait and sheer talent she has pushed her mastery of all basic fields to a level infinitely-close to True Magic."

"Is that what you plan for Shirou then?" Kiritsugu asked. "To follow in the White Wing Lord and Lorelei Barthomeloi's footsteps…?"

"I won't discount the possibility." Waver said. "Elemental magecraft is out of the question, but I'd like to at least have him learn the ability to erect basic bounded fields, to make basic familiars, and of course, at least basic forms of mystic codes. Shirou becoming a specialist is inevitable, but still: basics are important, even if you don't follow the 'simple is best' philosophy."

Kiritsugu nodded his agreement. For a time the two men sat in silence, as the shadows outside deepened into the dark of night, and the silver light of the Moon beamed down. "I won't last for much longer." Kiritsugu suddenly said. "At best I'll be around for two, maybe three years. But most likely I'll only have a few months to a year left."

"Kiritsugu Emiya…"

"Taiga will be Shirou's guardian." Kiritsugu said. "I can trust her…and trust her that she'll repay my trust in a way I couldn't repay Shirley's trust long ago."

Waver was silent. Kiritsugu smiled and looked out of the dining room and at the garden outside. "You know that reincarnation is a thing, right?" he asked. "I wonder…if this is one big joke being played on me by the Root."

"The Root isn't even a place as we consider it. More of a concept…to think it would have something like a consciousness that could play jokes…"

Waver trailed off, and sighed. "My apologies…" he said. "…please continue…"

Kiritsugu looked at him. "What do you think of her, Waver?" he asked.

"That little tiger…?"

"I wouldn't call her that. She hates that nickname."

"Really…" Waver said with a smile. "…that's good to know. Anyway as I said last night she's a good role model for your son, as a person. As a magus…I don't really know if there's anyone to be called a role model among us."

"Not even you…?"

"Me…?" Waver asked with a hint of disparagement. "As if…I'm impatient, demanding, lazy, a dreamer, more than a little misanthropic, and a whole host of other bad traits besides…"

"But…?"

"Going back to Taiga…" Waver said. "…yeah, she's a good choice to be a guardian. I met her you know, back during the war. She was pretty much the same as she is now, with added maturity of course. That speaks of solid character. I approve."

"Is that so?" Kiritsugu said. "I'm glad you approve, because just as I'll entrust Shirou to her, I'll entrust Shirou's magical well-being to you. And don't forget: it's all on your pride and conscience."

"Sly bastard…" Waver muttered. "…no matter, just as she said last night I shouldn't use big words. So here we go, and this is what you really wanted to say: cooperate with her and shape Shirou into someone he and you can be proud of."

Kiritsugu chuckled and nodded. "Never mind me…" he added after a moment. "…as long as Shirou can look back on his actions without shame, then that should be fine."

"Kiritsugu Emiya…"

The opening of the front door and the voice of a young boy ended the conversation there, and with a bow Waver non-verbally acquiesced to Kiritsugu's conditions. Shirou arrived, and upon seeing Waver greeted him enthusiastically before beginning to work on dinner.

* * *

"You didn't tell them."

Caren and her father were walking home from their dinner with the Tohsaka family. While that would normally be considered 'unusual' given the more-than-slightly antagonistic relationship between the Holy Church and the Mages Association, however considering Fuyuki's status as an Association territory, the Church's representation in the territory introducing a new member to the Supervisor would be waved off as simply a diplomatic gesture in the interests of _détente_ between two major supernatural powers.

"About what…?"

"Lord El-Melloi is here." Caren replied to her father's question.

"There was no need for them to know." Kirei said. "Considering the lord's profile, he's no threat."

"Whatever happened to 'thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour'?"

"I did not bear false witness." Kirei replied coolly. "I merely withheld true witness. It should have gone without saying that of course, should things go poorly I will take responsibility."

"I see." Caren said. "And what of him visiting Emiya…?"

For several moments Kirei did not speak. "When my father passes on…" he eventually said. "…I will have you take over his role of maintaining surveillance over Kiritsugu Emiya."

"I am honoured by your confidence in my abilities compared to the Magus Killer." Caren said. She intended to say more, but was cut off by her father.

"The Magus Killer is dead." He said neutrally. "He died in the fires of the malfunctioning Holy Grail of the previous war. However, he and I never managed to see eye-to-eye in that war, and even in his…retirement, we still cannot do so. That is the reason my father handles that task."

"I see."

"When the Lord El-Melloi II departs I shall give you Emiya's address." Kirei said. "Introduce yourself, and cultivate a working relationship, or at least lay the foundations for one."

"I understand."

Kirei nodded, father and daughter continuing on their way in silence.

* * *

"Is something wrong Rin?" Aoi asked her daughter, finding her staring out of the living room window in silence.

Rin blinked, and then glancing at her mother shook her head. "No…" she said. "…not really…it's just that…"

"Just what…?"

Rin hesitated, and then continued. "I'm jealous." She said softly. "Caren-san…she has her father with her. And I…I miss father. He was a bit distant, but…he always smiled at me. He was always…there. Always…looking out for me and wanting the best for me. Always pointing out the way…I miss him."

Rin curled up her legs, hugging them to her, and then after a moment Aoi took a seat beside her, and hugged her tightly. "I know." She said. "I miss him too. But…"

"But…?"

Aoi hesitated, and then briefly closed her eyes. She sighed and smiled sadly. "He wouldn't have wanted us to fall behind because…because he passed on." She said softly. "He would have wanted us to carry on, to move on, and not be weighed down."

"Mother…" Rin said, and after a moment nodded and leaned into her mother's arms. "…I understand. That's why…I will…I'll be the best I can be! I'll always do my best, everything I can, and when I make a mistake, I'll admit it, learn from it, and…!"

Aoi nodded, resting her chin on Rin's head. "I know you will." She said. "I know you will. And wherever your father is right now, he'll smile, and he'll say that you're doing a good job, and that you should keep up the good work. Just like he used to, remember?"

Rin nodded, but she didn't say a word. Aoi too didn't say anything, preferring to keep what was left of her family close.

She was all that was left after all. And she was all that Aoi had left.

 _Tokiomi, Sakura, mother and father…they're all gone. No, Sakura's still there, but she's changed so much. Her beautiful blue eyes…there's a shadow in them now, a measuring hint so like her father's…and so like Zouken's…even her smile…there's coldness there…just the slightest hint…_

Aoi tightened her hold on Rin ever so slightly. " _Oh Rin…_ " she silently lamented. " _…would you forgive your mother if she told you that she thanks in part your father's death? Because he died…your smile and your eyes…they're still pure and bright. Not like your sister…_ "

Aoi closed her eyes, feeling her daughter's breathing easing into the steady rhythm of sleep. As she began to cry, her thoughts turned to her other daughter. " _Well done Sakura…_ " she thought. " _…you have become everything your father wanted you to be. And your sister…she has not. And though Tokiomi would never forgive me for thinking it, I…I…I am…I am grateful for that. And even though I know she too will eventually become a magus just like you…for as long as I can…I will cherish her smile, her beautiful blue eyes, until they become just a memory…just like your eyes and smile are just memories now._ "

Alone, Aoi Tohsaka wept for her destroyed family.

* * *

A/N

About Taiga and Waver, I know they met each other in the past. Keep in mind that while it wasn't mentioned in the previous chapter, no indications either were made that they'd forgotten about it. The conversation between them merely focused on Waver's newfound interest in Shirou.

The tainted grail: the only ones who know are Gil, Kiritsugu, and Zouken. Gil's forgotten about it, having other, more childish (he _is_ a child) pursuits to indulge in. Kiritsugu has no proof outside of his testimony. Zouken's a magus. He might not have implanted the remains in Sakura, and he has no reason to make a Lesser Grail of his own, but do you really think he'd surrender such potentially-useful research material? He might be immortal, but he hasn't achieved the ultimate goal of a magus yet: the Root. And since he knows the grail is useless to him, he's studying other means to reach it.

TLDR about Zouken's goals: back to the drawing board, but with virtually no time limit this time around.

Finally, about Aoi…TBH that last part seems a bit clumsy to me (I'm not good writing emotional scenes), so my apologies if it seems that way to you, but that's the best I can do. And if her descriptions seem melodramatic, well that's deliberate considering her traditional, conservative, and ultimately faux- _yamato nadeshiko_ character (she has all the traits of one except a 'silk-shrouded steel spirit' that ironically canon Sakura possesses). And then again, it's not like she's entirely wrong either to lament Sakura's 'lost innocence'.


	8. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I do not own the Fate franchise it belongs to Kinoko Nasu and Type-Moon.

Jewels and Crows

Chapter 7

Candlelight glimmered on metal as it plunged into pale flesh, dark, venal blood filling the cartridge behind it. As it filled up, the needle was withdrawn, a cotton ball moist with alcohol sealing the small wound behind.

Childish yet deft fingers separated the cartridge from the needle, which was tossed into a bin. The blood was placed into a separate receptacle, the same fingers from before then going through a series of vials on the worktable, each filled with powder of some sort. One by one, a vial was selected according to a criteria provided by an old, crumbling book of bound vellum.

Candlelight illuminated old and tarnished pewter as spoons of varying sizes were used to measure out the powders that were then added to the blood. "Кровь является сущностью жизни." The little girl working in the candlelight whispered as she used a long-handled spoon to stir the blood elixir. "Тот, кто вкушает это должен принять участие в моей жизни. Моя жизнь должна быть, как у них, и их жизнь должна быть, как у меня. Так пить моей жизни, и делиться в моей судьбе."

The elixir flashed a deep, ruby glow for a few moments, and then died down. Its consistency changed, changing from a thick, syrupy consistency to something more akin to jelly. The little girl nodded with satisfaction, withdrawing the spoon and tapping it clean from the receptacle's rim before she set it aside and sealed the receptacle with lead. She slapped a label on the cylinder's side, showing a skull over a crossed pair of bones: simple and easy to understand.

The cylinder joined others like it on a glass rack, the little girl then taking her tools and washing them in a nearby sink. She replaced them where they were meant to be, followed by the vials of powder.

Then taking her racked vials, she walked out of the alchemy lab and back to the surface. The underground air was dank and foul, and she whispered more words as she made her way to the surface, the scuttling of countless insects filling the twilight. "Кровь, плоть и кости ..." she whispered, every word marking her as a friend to the bounded fields in this ancient place. "…Желчь и мокрота, гуморы и дыхание ..."

Her grandfather was old, very old. He had sought the Root for a very long time, and a part of her shuddered – would always shudder – as she wondered how far he had gone – as all magi had – in pursuit of that goal.

His choice of familiars, the heavy, fearful atmosphere in his workshop and laboratories, the ill-veiled expression of apprehension and terror her uncle, stepfather, and brother showed whenever she ventured into the depths…

…and even her grandfather encouraging her to set up her own workshop elsewhere…

…what were they hiding from her? Or better put…how long did they think she could have the truth hidden from her?

Sakura closed the heavy door sealing off the underground from the mansion, and made for the kitchen. " _I have been a magus for more than two years now._ " she thought. " _I have had free reign to the library in that time. I know. I know what could have been._ "

Sakura entered the kitchen, and made for the refrigerator. She opened it, and placed the rack of lead-sealed, poison-marked, metal vials inside. " _I am…_ " she thought as she closed the door, and checked the time. It was well past midnight. "… _I do not know how I feel about it…not completely. Relief mostly…but also curiosity…just a bit…it goes with being a magus…and also…_ "

Sakura Matou went back to her room, to turn in for the night. " _What changed things?_ " she thought.

* * *

"Hey what's this?" Shinji asked the following morning. He blanched as he spotted the skull and crossbones marking the cylinders. "Uncle, why is there poison in the fridge?"

"That's not poison." Kariya replied from where he was frying some eggs at the stove. "That's an exaggerated 'don't touch' sign…probably."

"Probably…?"

Kariya shrugged. "Probably…" he repeated. "…I don't think your grandfather would actually put poison where just about anyone could get at it and get into an accident…"

"Don't go around blaming me for just about everything Kariya…" Zouken interrupted, literally _melting_ out of a shadowed patch of wall nearby. Shinji screamed shrilly at the sight. Kariya…he just shrugged, having seen such an occurrence more than once in the past. "…playing the blame game, that's a bad habit…hasn't anyone told you that?"

Kariya shrugged again. "A lot of people have…" he said. "…apparently I had a habit of doing it since I was very young. You should know that."

"True…" Zouken conceded. "…oh very well, just keep it down."

"Yes, yes…" Kariya said before adopting a thoughtful expression that quickly turned into a slightly-annoyed one. "…but that means…"

"Hey what's going on here?" Sakura asked as she entered the kitchen, wearing the uniform for the local public elementary school and with her hair damp from the shower.

"Sakura why is there poison in the fridge?" Kariya asked.

"That's not poison, it's a blood-based nutrient paste." Sakura replied. Shinji looked mutinous.

"Why is it in the fridge?" he asked. Sakura looked at him sourly.

"I don't see why it's any business of yours." She replied.

"It is when it's in my fridge!"

"I didn't know you owned the fridge."

"That's not what I meant!"

"Sakura…! Shinji…!" Kariya snapped. "That's enough! Sakura, why'd you put that paste of yours in the fridge?"

"It needs to set and culture." She replied. "I can make ice from the water in the air, but I can't control air temperature. So I can't really avoid putting it in the fridge if I need to cool it down enough to set."

"Not necessarily true…" Zouken mused aloud. "…though it would require a mystic code of a higher level than you're currently capable of…"

"Then you'd better teach her at least that." Kariya said. "A…preview of that level of magic or whatever you want to call it."

Zouken gave him a look that he shrugged off. "Oh very well…" Zouken said. "…in any case you need some equipment and your own reagents to stock up your workshop. Well I'll provide you with the latter, and you already have some of the former. But you will need more, so I'll either show you how to make them or provide them if that isn't workable. Though some – in particular the heavy alchemy equipment – will have to stay in my workshop. Sorry to say, but to use those you'll still need to go there."

"I understand, and thank you very much."

"I assume the nutrient paste is preparation for binding your familiars…?"

Sakura nodded, but before Zouken could say any more Shinji muttered something under his breath. "What was that?" the old man asked.

"Nothing…" Shinji said before storming away. "…I'm not hungry, so I'll go ahead."

"Hey, Shinji…!" Kariya shouted after him, but was ignored. Zouken however managed to make the boy stop for a couple of moments.

"For what's it worth…" he said. "…I'm sorry for your mother. I let my emotions cloud my judgment."

For a moment Shinji was silent, and then with a scoff stormed away. "Are you really?" Kariya asked.

"A part of me is." Zouken replied, filling a mug with coffee before leaving, patting Sakura on the head as he left. The little girl ran a hand through her hair and then turned to her uncle.

"What happened to Shinji-nii's mother?" she asked. Kariya didn't reply for a moment.

"Let's just say she ran afoul of a magical experiment." He replied shortly, clearly unwilling to dwell on the matter. Sakura opened her mouth, but quickly closed it. Kariya noticed her troubled expression, and sighed. "Don't apologize. It wasn't your fault, and you had absolutely nothing to do with it."

"Yes."

"Now enough about that: take a seat, breakfast's just about ready."

"Okay."

* * *

" _Really now…_ " Kiritsugu Emiya thought as he set a cup of tea down on the table in front of his guest. " _…first it's Waver El-Melloi, and now I've got a priestess in my house. I'm really popular lately, though I don't know if it's a good thing or not._ "

Caren Ortensia nodded and softly gave her thanks for the tea. Taking a sip, she set it back down and returned Kiritsugu's silent gaze. Awkward silence descended for several minutes. At length, she briefly closed her eyes and spoke up. "I apologize if I seem rude…" she began. "…but surely I'm not that unusual a specimen."

"It's not that." Kiritsugu said with a cough. "It's just that, it seems you're a bit young for a priestess."

"That much is true." Caren agreed. "Although I have taken Holy Orders and am a fully-qualified exorcist, I have minimal if any experience, in particular the latter field. I only recently finished my training, and was assigned here to assist Father Kirei Kotomine in light of Father Risei Kotomine's advancing age."

"I see." Kiritsugu said. "Still, even with that said, you're rather young to have taken Holy Orders and be an exorcist."

"Quite…" Caren said with a nod. "…however I have been training for service to the Holy Church for as long as I can remember. Compared to magi training, our training is simpler…purer you might say, with less…trivialities and such, allowing for quicker completion."

"Is that right?" Kiritsugu said with a small smile. "Then again much of the Church's mysteries are centred on the concept of 'faith'. It's a simple concept, easy to…"

"Please do not underestimate our faith in the Lord, Kiritsugu Emiya." Caren interrupted with surprising sternness. "Just as it only takes a single spark to start a fire, it only takes one man's words, one man's _faith_ to move the world. Magi are so numerous, so… _complex_ and knowledgeable, yet they _need_ those numbers to match the enemies of Humanity. We…? The Executors of the Church are few, and there are only five Burial Agents in existence. And yet those few are enough to stalemate the masses of the magi and the hordes of the Unquiet Dead. I will thank you not to disparage our faith, Kiritsugu Emiya. It has served us well, and all of Humanity, for well over a thousand years."

" _And yet…_ " Kiritsugu thought. " _…much of your vaunted faith's power is derived from the belief of the billions of believers across the globe. True, the wielders are few, but the belief of billions is focused in their hands. Ha…what an interesting counterpoint to magi. Belief is just as important as Conservation of Mysteries. The belief of the magi – few in comparison to the mundane masses who do not believe in the existence of magic – sustains their mysteries, while the belief of the masses – for the most part given not everyone believes in the one God – sustains the mysteries of the Church._ "

"My apologies…" Kiritsugu said with a small smile. "…I've said too much."

Caren gave a small bow and Kiritsugu sighed. "Truly we cannot underestimate faith…" he said. "…as I recall one Burial Agent has even managed to banish a True Demon, something that orthodox magical theory would hold impossible. And as you say, Executors are few in comparison to magi and even vampires and the hordes under their command, but are more than capable of fighting on even terms."

He sighed again. "Well enough about that…" Kiritsugu said. "…so how may I be of assistance, Sister Ortensia?"

"Father Kotomine has told me you intend to remain in peace within this city for what's left of your life, in the aftermath of the catastrophic end of the previous Holy Grail War." Caren said.

"So I did." Kiritsugu said neutrally.

"I trust in Father Kotomine's judgment." Caren continued. "As such I came here only to introduce myself and to offer you my assistance should it become…necessary. For instance, there is the matter of the Supervisor."

"What of her?"

"Supervisor Tohsaka is but a child." Caren said. "As such she is unaware of your presence in this city, though her mother and guardian – and thus the one entitled to speak for her until her majority – is."

"In other words…" Kiritsugu said. "…when Supervisor Tohsaka learns of my assistance, just in case she proves hostile, I would be able to call on your assistance."

Caren nodded. "That is correct."

 _Interesting…but how reliable could it be…? The Tohsaka and the Church are allies, are they not? There could be a hidden agenda in all this…damn it! First, the El-Melloi, then either or both the Church and the Tohsaka are moving on me._

"Is something the matter?" Caren asked.

"No…" Kiritsugu said. "…I'm grateful for the offer, and I will keep it in mind. Thank you."

Caren nodded, and resumed drinking her tea. " _A choice of poisons eh…?_ " Kiritsugu thought, careful to keep his face clear. " _The El-Melloi or the Tohsaka…worst of all, I'm not just choosing for myself. I'm already a dead man walking, I'm choosing for Shirou's sake._ "

Kiritsugu briefly closed his eyes and looked out at the veranda. " _Should I choose?_ " he thought. " _The only choice I have no regrets about is saving Shirou's life. Every other choice I've made…teaching Shirou magic, helping Waver El-Melloi, sacrificing Iri, even destroying the Grail…they've all come with regret…_ "

He sighed and took a drink of his own tea. " _Forgive me Shirou…_ " he thought. " _…but I can't choose for you: El-Melloi or Tohsaka, or even another choice altogether you must choose on your own. I don't trust myself to choose for you…but that's a choice in itself, isn't it? And like all my choices, it brings regret, always regret…_ "

* * *

"Ah…" Lord Waver El-Melloi II sighed with relief as he took a seat behind his desk. "…it's good to be back."

And then he spotted the neat stack of paper sitting on one side of the desk. It was a stack as high as he was tall sitting down, and his expression quickly turned to one of dismay. " _On second thought…_ " he thought as he read the incredibly-dry documentation on research expenditures (the document was labelled as part of a quadruplicate no less). " _…maybe I should have stayed in Japan a little bit longer._ "

The thought lingered, and then he snorted. " _Yeah…_ " he thought derisively. " _…and the pile would just get higher and higher…_ "

Sighing, he picked up his pen and got to work. For the next three hours he worked on two weeks' worth of backlogged tasks, and finally he was finished. As he arranged the finished paperwork, he cracked his neck a few times.

As if on cue, the doors to his office opened, and Reines Archisorte El-Melloi walked in, carrying another stack of paper. She placed it on Waver's desk, which should have elicited a less-than-favourable response. Instead he stared at her. She stared back.

"What?" she asked.

"Since when were you in the habit of being a courier…?" Waver asked.

"They said you were back." Reines said with a shrug. "Since I was coming to see you anyway, I decided I might as well take these off their hands and bring it to you myself."

Waver kept on staring. She glared at him. "What?" she asked.

"Something's wrong here." He said. "You're being very…generous, or rather helpful to your social 'inferiors'. That's not something I see you doing."

"I can be very generous, thank you very much." Reines said arrogantly.

"Okay maybe that's more like you…" Waver conceded. He glanced at the stack of paper, and sighed. "…so to what do I owe the pleasure of your company?"

"Emiya…" Reines said laconically. "…how is he? And not that bastard Kiritsugu, his son: what's your evaluation?"

 _Oh fuck…_

"He's fairly average." Waver said evasively, and Reines snorted.

"Enough of this…" she said with a dismissive wave of her hand. "…you are not the only one with a stake in this matter, dear brother. We know he has an aligned origin and affinity, though not _what_."

Waver looked up at that, and Reines crossed her arms, seated on one of the chairs in front of Waver's desk. "Just what is the Jewel Master plotting?" she asked.

For a few moments there was silence, and then Waver spoke up. "What did the elders say?" he asked.

"Some were in favour of having him killed like a dog in front of his father, and then sparing the wretched fool." Reines said, her tone clearly indicating she too favoured this end. "Others, pointing out his…potential, were in favour of either placing a sealing designation on him, or binding him under geis."

"So what's the verdict?" Waver asked neutrally.

Reines glanced at him. "Those are the obvious outcomes." She said. "Any of which could be what the Jewel Master is aiming for us to do."

"Zelretch is as always playing a game." Waver said in a matter-of-fact fashion. "The outcome will undoubtedly be for the best, but until then, from the perspective of the players, and even afterwards…"

"Magician or not…" Reines said. "…we will not be reduced to his tools. The Archibald…no, the El-Melloi has fallen far with Uncle Kayneth's death. We will _not_ fall further."

"And we go back to my earlier question: what's the verdict?"

"Then answer my earlier question as well: how is the Magus Killer's son?"

Waver locked eyes with Reines, who refused to flinch or back down in any way. He sighed. "His origin is sword, and his elemental affinity is also sword." He conceded. The truth getting out _was_ unavoidable, but if he could sell it well he might be able to get Shirou the best out of a series of bad outcomes.

The boy would probably be reduced to a family retainer of the Archisorte – much like Waver – though with his greater talent he'd probably get more out of than just an empty title. He – Shirou – might even be married off to a branch member, if only to pass on at least some of his affinity to one of the Archisorte bloodline. Granted all that would come with a geis (probably) but it certainly was better than being reduced to a lab rat or simply getting killed.

"Sword…?" Reines echoed. "That's a rather unusual concept."

"So it is." Waver agreed. "But because of his aligned origin and concept, he has immense talent for material transmutation. So long as he can apply the concept of 'sword' to an object – even as simple as a tree branch or even a kettle that he can wave around and call a 'sword' – he has the ability to understand, manipulate, and even _replicate_ its fundamental structure to an incredible degree. Of course there are still flaws, a copy is still a copy, but there is no comparison with Gradation Air. And his reinforcement and alteration is far above most magi of his level…or even mine."

"Is that right?" Reines asked. "Trying to sell the boy's talents?"

"Maybe…" Waver replied. "…as a specialist in the field, give it five, ten years, and he'll be among the best, and probably _the_ best for a long time."

"Humph…" Reines scoffed. "…well I suppose there's a certain degree of poetic justice there. I'm told the Magus Killer placed a geis between himself and my uncle, and used a loophole to kill him afterwards. Placing the Magus Killer's son under a geis _without_ a chance for escape…"

"Why not just make the boy marry someone if you want to bind him to your family?" Waver added with a hint of derision. "You've plenty of cousins, and you probably want a chance for an aligned origin and affinity in the next generation."

"It's not nearly as simple as that." Reines replied just as derisively. "And there's only a small chance that any of the boy's descendants will have an aligned origin and affinity like he does. Still, that's an idea. We'll have to consider it in the future."

"Now that I've answered your question…" Waver asked. "…won't you answer mine?"

"The verdict is…" Reines replied before making a dramatic pause. "…there is no verdict. Keep an eye on the boy for now we'll defer a final settlement once we know for sure what we're dealing with over the involvement of the Jewel Master."

"If there even _is_ an ulterior motive…" Waver said darkly, and Reines snorted.

"Yes." She agreed. "There is that too."

* * *

"I'm home!" Shirou shouted as he returned from school, taking off his shoes and putting on his slippers before rushing into the house. "Dad…?"

He found Kiritsugu sitting at the veranda, looking out over the garden in the afternoon light. "Dad…?" Shirou asked. "What's wrong?"

"Hmm…?" Kiritsugu hummed, clearly deep in thought. Seeing Shirou he smiled and shook his head. "No, nothing's wrong. I was just thinking that's all."

Patting the floor beside him, he invited Shirou to sit beside him, which the boy did. "Hey Shirou…" he began. "…you remember what I told you before right? Spells and magic, they are things that shouldn't exist. They bring strife and misery, because magi will always want to learn more about magic, to gain knowledge for knowledge's own sake, no matter the cost."

"But…"

Kiritsugu raised a finger, and Shirou quieted down. "But…" he continued. "…when all is said and done, magic is just a tool, or even a weapon. Just because a tool or a weapon is something that shouldn't exist, it doesn't mean that you shouldn't use it when you have to."

Shirou was quiet, and Kiritsugu turned to smile at him. "For example…" he said. "…a gun is a weapon, something meant for killing. But when you have something like that, and you're faced with a choice between using it to save someone, or not using it and letting someone die or get hurt, what choice would you make?"

"I'd use it!" Shirou said at once. "But…I don't want to kill people."

"That's good." Kiritsugu said patting his son on the back. "I don't want you killing people either."

Shirou grinned, and Kiritsugu grinned as well. "What I want to say is this." Kiritsugu said as the gold of sunset began to shift to the velvet darkness of the evening. "Shirou, the world of the magi that you want to enter, the world you've entered, is a dangerous world. I cannot stop you from choosing to enter it, because everyone has to choose their own life."

"Dad…"

"Shirou…" Kiritsugu said. "…magic is like a gun. It's something that shouldn't exist, but it does exist, so you shouldn't avoid using it when you have to. You can use it properly and responsibly, or you can use it improperly and irresponsibly. Do you understand?"

Shirou nodded. "Yes." He said. "I understand."

Kiritsugu nodded back. "Then I can rest easy…" he said, turning to look back at the sky. "…even if you become a magus, you can be one that you can look at the mirror with pride."

Kiritsugu fell silent, Shirou staring at him for a few moments longer with awe. And then he too looked up at the sky. "I promise dad…" he said. "…I won't misuse magic. I'll be someone I can be proud of, someone _you_ can be proud of."

"That's good to hear, Shirou."

* * *

Lead stoppers came off, blood-red jelly eased out onto ceramic receptacles and placed in front of nest-like constructs. Ugly, black-feathered chicks lacking the dull gleam and full bodies of their full-grown forms hungrily and noisily dabbed at the food provided. There were six such nests, arranged in a cross-like formation on the ground, one each on a point at the edge of a magic circle carved on the ground.

Sakura Matou stood on the centre, using her ritual dagger to cut her palm. She let the blood fall, and ozone began to fill the air as the mysteries responded to her offering of blood and through it magical energy, prana beginning to cycle through her magic circuits to and from the World.

"Ло, волхв посмотрел и увидел слабость ее плоти." She said softly. "И она говорила, говоря: слабость моей плоти раскрывается мне."

The stink of ozone and blood grew stronger, the chicks continuing to feed unabated as the circle began to glow a faint, dark-red. And still Sakura continued to cast her spell, her blood dripping from the wound on her palm to the ground, the prana contained within resonating with the prana the chicks had imbibed from their mistress.

One ritual would not be enough: to complete the binding, the ritual would have to be conducted regularly until the crows and ravens reached complete maturity and began to breed themselves. Only then would they truly be extensions of her being, and every succeeding generation thereof.

"И поэтому я говорю: ваша плоть будет плоть моего духа, сосуд моей души, мои глаза и уши, с вашими верными когтями." She said. "Поэтому я заявляю: мы одно."

The circle flashed once, and Sakura smiled as she felt her magic, her mind and soul wrap over the chicks, enter them, and _change_ them. The connection was weak, and very fragile. Control was difficult to maintain, and most likely shared perception and transference of consciousness would be impossible to achieve…for now.

But the connection was there, so the first ritual was a success. Sakura smiled even wider.

 _The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step._

* * *

A/N

So Caren's age…well I couldn't find a canon reference (I am not playing Fate/Hollow Ataraxia all over again just to find out) online, however she _was_ a nurse in Prisma Illya, so I'd assume she's at the latest in her mid-twenties at the time of the Fifth Holy Grail War. That puts her at her mid-teens at the youngest at this point in time. Sakura is eight, Shirou and Rin are nine. Sakura and Rin seem a bit mature for their age, but then again they are magi. 'Normal' is quite relative when it comes to people like them.

Gil-kun returning to adult form…? Maybe…I refuse to give spoilers.

Finally, the Church and faith. It is in fact canon that the Church's magical theory in the form of the Seven Sacraments is the most stable in the world because it has so many believers across the world. Also AFAIK there are less Executors than there are magi (in general and not just Enforcers or other combat-dedicated magi) or Dead Apostles (be they 'normal' vampires or their ancestor lords). I'm not butchering canon by having Caren tear into Kiritsugu for deriding their faith-based magic, or the Church's power.

EDIT: About Reines...eh, blarg7865 makes a good point about Reines. Still, even if she is about the same age as Sakura, AFAIK she was old enough to have been present during Waver's appointment as Lord El-Melloi II, and if Sakura and Rin can be as 'mature' as they are now, she should even more so, considering her high social rank and her family's position.


	9. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not own the Fate franchise it belongs to Kinoko Nasu and Type-Moon.

Jewels and Crows

Chapter 8

Aviary: it is a noun, and one defined as a large cage, building, or enclosure for the keeping of birds within.

The Matou mansion included such a structure, located behind the mansion on the grounds and large enough and high enough to be seen from a good distance away. It was a recent addition to the property, built to accommodate the new heiress' Sakura Matou's preferences. It actually covered more ground than the Matou property originally included, and required some work on the part of one Byakuya Matou – both because he was present in Japan at the time when Zouken gave the orders to have the aviary built and because he could use mental interference despite only being a third-rate spell-caster – to expand the available grounds before construction and furbishing (or better put _landscaping_ ) could begin.

It was complete coincidence that the families living in a couple of houses and properties behind the Matou mansion suddenly experienced a good turn of fortune and proceeded to retire to the countryside henceforth.

It was also complete coincidence that they sold their properties to the Matou family about the same time.

The aviary was a large, dome-shaped, skeletal structure of metal, the spaces in-between the beams and girders covered by metal mesh. Once clear of vegetation, now vines and organic detritus festooned the lower parts of the dome, and where it was once a completely-enclosed dome, now the apex was open to the sky above allowing for free comings and goings for the birds inside.

A large tree reached up from the centre of the aviary, poking its leafy crown into the air, but not enough to completely obscure the opening. Considering it was barely high enough to reach halfway up the dome when it was first transplanted, its rate of growth in the two years since enough to be considered _unnatural_ by most.

Assuming they would care of course: people can be very apathetic most of the time.

The tree was hardly the only tree in the dome. There were others more inside, though most were of a more normal height, with only a handful few reaching halfway up through the dome's interior.

As for animals, well the aviary had the insects typical of an enclosure like it, to say nothing of a very large murder of crows and an equally-large unkindness of ravens sharing the aviary. Normally the two groups of animals would probably have become belligerent rivals, but considering they were both extensions of the magus who called the aviary her workshop they managed to get along.

To an extent: unlike 'normal' familiars, which were crafted from dead animals, the ravens and crows were all _alive_ despite being familiars. This meant that compared to normal familiars, they retained more of their natural instincts and urges than they ordinarily would have.

Sakura Matou's will could suppress it or better put tame or moderate it to an extent, but she couldn't completely remove it. Nor did she want to. They were more useful that way.

Nor were they her only familiars. True, they would remain her 'core colony' but she was already working on establishing a second colony elsewhere in the city. It would take time – breeding animals isn't something to be rushed – but it was doable.

But while Sakura called the entire aviary as her workshop, the workshop proper was actually a large, covered pavilion that ran around the central tree's base and extended outwards. There weren't exterior walls there, merely a roof and its pillars and braces. There weren't interior walls either, the little magus having found no need for physical barriers between its sections.

Of course, she did put additional protections – bounded fields and magical traps (regularly updated as she advanced her training) – in the actual workspace and repositories, but otherwise it was open to the surroundings. The dome though was heavily-protected by its own bounded fields (also regularly updated), which in turn were tied in to the Matou bounded fields over the greater property.

The workspace was well-furnished, including several work tables, storage space for tools, and even a cleaning area which was fully-linked to the property's plumbing. The repositories provided additional storage space, for heavier tools and magical equipment – though the heaviest and oldest ones stayed with her grandfather in his workshop and thus needed his permission for Sakura to be able to use them – as well as for her mystic codes and materials. She also kept more mundane items and such there, including additional lamps and fuel, because the aviary wasn't linked to the property's electrical grid.

Any light was provided by kerosene lamps, resting either on tables or hanging from hooks on the pillars, a deliberate decision by Zouken who found the idea both amusing and nostalgic. Shinji and Kariya found it exasperatingly-whimsical. Byakuya didn't care. Sakura loved it, and she quickly developed a habit of doing her homework and such in the lamplight, her workshop including a 'rest area' which had a coffee table, additional tables, a few camp chairs (spare ones could be found in the repositories), and even a couch.

Zouken never let Kariya live it down.

At present though, Sakura wasn't there. Kariya Matou scratched his head, and then backtracked along the dirt path that led from the aviary's only entrance, to another path that led away elsewhere into the aviary.

Following that path, he found his niece lying on the ground with her eyes closed. She was lying across her magic circle, her hands open on the ground on either side. Kariya looked around, the sight still not surprising him.

There was grass everywhere on the clearing floor, but the magic circle was mysteriously-clear. Sakura claimed she never did anything to keep the grass from growing there, though Kariya didn't doubt her.

Magic scarred the World, some more than others.

So he wasn't surprised.

"Enjoying a nice nap…?" he asked.

"I'm not sleeping." The ten year-old girl replied but keeping her eyes closed. "I'm just resting my eyes."

"I'm sure you are." Kariya replied with a smirk. "Though just in case I'd appreciate it if you don't fall asleep here on the ground. On the couch maybe it would be fine, in your room better, but not here."

"Okay."

Kariya didn't say anything, and neither did Sakura. The wind briefly picked up passing through the aviary's walls and stirring their surroundings. And then Sakura spoke up, keeping her eyes closed. Kariya knew that she could see even with her eyes closed: there were probably a few crows or ravens around, and she could 'see' through their eyes. "Did something happen, uncle?" she asked.

"Your sister's here."

Sakura finally opened her eyes. It was…troubling for Kariya, to see Tokiomi's eyes staring up at him from a face that looked just like Aoi's when she was Sakura's age. That Sakura had grown out her hair didn't help: Aoi's hair had always been long as far as he could remember.

Sakura's eyes though lacked the cold hardness of Tokiomi's (as Kariya would describe it), or the malevolent gleam that Zouken's once had. Instead they were fickle, shifting in description with her mood. Right now though, they had a curious light to them.

"Well isn't that unusual." Sakura finally remarked with a small smile. "Little miss 'father is right all the time' is actually breaking the agreement that we shouldn't deliberately meet each other and is actually here."

"Sakura…" Kariya said disapprovingly.

"Yes, yes…" Sakura said as she got to a sitting position. "…still, there has to be a reason why she's being so…naughty isn't there?"

"Naughty…?" Kariya echoed. Sakura glanced at him.

"What word would you use?" she asked, and Kariya briefly fumbled.

"Disobedient…?" he answered, and Sakura briefly considered.

"Well now that you mention it…" she eventually said. "…that works better…"

Kariya chuckled, and then silence fell between the two of them. After a few moments Kariya's smile faded. "You won't see her…?" he asked.

"No…" Sakura said, getting up and patting her clothes clean. "…I'll see her. I might as well be polite. And I am curious to know why she's here too. Does grandfather know?"

"Probably…" Kariya said with a shrug. "…he hasn't made a move yet though."

"Is that so?" Sakura said as she led the way back to the entrance. "Then I'll take it as him being okay with it then."

"Don't you want to see your sister?" Kariya suddenly asked. Sakura glanced at him, clearly seeing through to the hidden meaning. But she didn't answer, and kept her expression carefully blank.

* * *

Rin Tohsaka sat on a couch in the Matou living room. It was at once luxuriously-furnished, with comfortably-padded chairs and couches, wooden tables, tasteful wallpaper and drapery, but at the same time it was _bare_. Its counterpart in the Tohsaka mansion was decorated with portraits and even _pictures_ of family, ancestors, friends and colleagues. Here though…

…the walls were bare of any such memorabilia.

It was…unusual to say the least, and more than a bit unsettling. Rin didn't have much more to think about it though, as with the sound of soft footsteps her sister arrived and entered the living room. "Sorry for being late…" Sakura said. "…I was elsewhere."

Rin smiled. "That's fine." She said. "It's a big house. Although…"

Rin trailed off, noting Sakura's somewhat…frazzled appearance, and patches of her clothes appeared to be singed. "Is something wrong Tohsaka-san?" Sakura asked. Rin didn't reply at once, and she spotted what looked like a hairbrush's handle poking from a pocket.

"Are you burned?" she suddenly asked, and Sakura jolted.

"No, of course not…!" Sakura said abruptly, before coughing to regain her composure. "I'm just a bit singed, that's all."

Rin stared blankly at Sakura for a moment, and then smiled craftily. It looked disturbing to Sakura, and brought to mind the idea that should she – Rin that is – show her teeth she'd resemble the Cheshire Cat more than a little.

And wasn't that even more disturbing?

"I interrupted a magical experiment didn't I?" Rin asked. Sakura made to reply, only to be pre-empted by Kariya.

"No…" he said as he arrived with a tea set. "…you interrupted a nice nap."

"I told you!" Sakura snapped petulantly. "I wasn't sleeping! I was just resting my eyes!"

Kariya rolled his eyes. "Fine…" he conceded. "…you weren't sleeping. But I doubt you were just resting your eyes either. I'd bet you were recovering from a side-effect of whatever it is working you've been working on ever since summer started."

"Even before that actually…" Sakura corrected absent-mindedly. "…and there's nothing to recover from."

"Sure, sure…" Kariya said as he made to leave. "…the two of you get along, you hear?"

"Yes, yes…"

"Okay…!"

Kariya wandered off, leaving the two girls. For a moment there was silence, and then Rin coughed before pouring herself some tea. Sakura sighed and then took a seat opposite Rin. "So…" Rin began as she mixed some milk into her tea. "…are you really alright? Magical mishaps aren't really something to laugh about."

"I know I know…" Sakura replied as she too poured herself some tea. "…but it's nothing serious. And you can't get anywhere without a few mistakes along the way. And besides, I can heal fast."

"Really…?"

"Yes, really…" Sakura said, but didn't elaborate. Blood sisters or not, they weren't family anymore. Rin was a Tohsaka, and Sakura was a Matou. And both would keep their respective secrets. "…so why are you here Tohsaka-san? You've never visited before, and if I remember right we're not supposed to meet like this."

"Tanabata is next weekend."

Sakura froze. "Hmm…and…?" she eventually said.

"Well I…um…you turned ten earlier this year didn't you?" Rin said quickly. "And um…I was wondering, if you'd like to go together with me this year to the festival?"

Sakura didn't reply at once, a finger tapping at her teacup's side rhythmically. This was a surprise, and a thoroughly-confusing one. And considering Rin had been going to the Clock Tower ever summer for the past two years that she didn't this year seemed to show _this_ was the whole reason for not going.

" _What's so special about me being ten?_ " Sakura wondered in silence. " _This is…I don't know. And also…_ "

Sakura didn't particularly mind getting some time with her sister, but that was only on one hand. Because on the other hand it was also causing her to seethe inwardly at how it reminded her that she used to be a part of a happy family, only for that same family to send her away 'for her own good'.

Oh she managed to become a magus since then, so maybe they – or her ' _father_ ' – turned out to be right and as a magus she certainly understood and accepted the reasoning. And she most certainly accepted the opportunity to be better than her 'genius' older sister.

 _Green with envy…_

Sakura put down her conscience's words. She wouldn't deny it though: she _was_ jealous of Rin, and that was the whole purpose of her being a magus. But at the same time…

…she was angry at losing her family. No matter how much she respected her adopted grandfather, and was thankful for his tutelage or how much her uncle cared for her…it wasn't really a family. That was for convenience's sake. She and her grandfather were master and student, and while her uncle cared for her, they weren't really blood.

 _And he probably only does it for mother's sake._

Sakura's irises flickered at the thought. Her thoughts then turned to her stepbrother and stepfather, and she suppressed a snort at the thought. She barely if ever talked to her stepfather, and she and Shinji could barely be civil with each other. Family…? It was a joke in bad taste.

But it wasn't Rin's fault was it?

"Will mother be coming?" the words came out before she realized it. Rin blinked and then smiled.

"Yes, of course!" she said, and Sakura sat back in the couch, her arms crossed over her chest.

 _None of us had any choice but to go along with father's decision, even if mother and sister practically worshipped him._

No, she – Sakura – wanted to see and have some time with her sister and mother. But…wants weren't a good enough reason to go. As a magus, as the heiress to the Matou family, she had to have a reason, a rational one, if she were to go along with this invitation.

Anything less would disappoint her grandfather, and more than him, it would disappoint herself.

 _I have my own pride now._

Sakura sat silent for a while, her index finger tapping on an arm. Rin sat nervously on her couch, trying to keep her anxiety from showing and taking sips of her tea from time to time to brace herself. Finally Sakura seemed to make a decision and she leaned forward with a small smile.

"Alright…" she said. "…I'd also like to have some time with you and mother. So why not?"

Rin brightened up at once. "That's great!" she said. "That's really great!"

Sakura smiled even wider at her sister's joy, and finally took a drink of her own tea. There was just one concern left though: how would her grandfather react to this?

Well, that was something she'd have to deal with later on. And one couldn't succeed without taking some risks anyway, and in any case, she's already reasoned out a rational motivation/s to give him.

 _We'll just have to forge through._

* * *

Sakura returned to the living room once she'd finished seeing her sister off. And as expected, there was an old man sitting on a chair, his chin resting on a hand while waiting for her. Purple eyes shifted in her direction. "Sakura…" Zouken Matou said. "…you don't seem surprised to see me here waiting for you."

"Should I be?" Sakura asked.

"That would be disappointing." Zouken said with a smirk. "So…? It's easy to see that one reason you accepted Rin Tohsaka's invitation was because unlike with Tokiomi Tohsaka's case, you don't actually blame her or her mother for your being cast out. And even if you aim to surpass her, you don't actually hate her, so you wouldn't mind actually spending some time with her."

Sakura didn't say anything nor did she need to. After a moment Zouken continued. "However that is not reason enough." He said. "I expect better reasoning from you. So…?"

"Firstly…" Sakura began. "…the adoption agreement that states we should have no contact was made between you and Tokiomi-san, grandfather, and not between me and Rin."

Zouken said nothing, and then Sakura continued. "However that reason is worthless." She said. "Just as Rin is Tokiomi-san's heiress, so I am yours. Any agreements made between you two would be inherited by us."

"Indeed…" Zouken agreed with a nod. "…continue…"

Sakura's eyes turned ice-cold. "However the very idea of an agreement was devised by Humanity for its convenience." She said with a cold, even tone that no ten year-old girl should be able to have. "On a more specific note, you and Tokiomi-san are both Humans. And something that hasn't existed since the creation of the universe doesn't need to exist to its end. Going by that line of reasoning, the agreement may be broken, bent, and redefined by Humans as they see fit."

For a moment there was silence, jewel-hard purple eyes gazing in a measuring fashion into a pair of icy, steadfast eyes. And then Zouken began to laugh. "What an interesting philosophical perspective…" he said with evident amusement. "…and something I see myself saying. Indeed, agreements are something made by Humans for their convenience, and we can change or break them when they're no longer convenient. Continue…"

Sakura smiled and bowed, her eyes regaining a modicum of warmth to them as she straightened. "The final reason is that Rin Tohsaka is the Supervisor of this territory." She said. "Right now we're children, so that doesn't really mean much. But she won't stay a child forever, and neither will I."

Zouken nodded. "As we grow older, so too will grow the scope of our perspectives, our ambitions, and with it the rivalry that exists between us." Sakura said. "Right now our rivalry is childish, focused on the obvious and easily set aside, but how long will that be the case?"

"Not long…" Zouken mused aloud, and Sakura nodded.

"She's already taking classes in the Clock Tower…" she said. "…and me…? You know that I've been forging my own path as hard as she is, if only on my own with your guidance."

Again Zouken nodded, and Sakura continued. "She probably knows like I do that our rivalry will grow in time." She said. "And so she's probably trying to add an element of…friendliness to that, to keep it from going too far. And to be honest I don't find anything wrong with that. A threatening atmosphere is hardly the best for research purposes. Example, not fear is the better incentive."

" _Contrary reasoning as the ideas of example and fear overlap…_ " Zouken thought. " _…though at your level I suppose that's acceptable. You'll learn as you grow older._ "

"…more to the point though, I don't want to make an enemy out of this territory's Supervisor once we grow out of our present childishness." Sakura was saying. "Ignoring this offer of friendship is stupid and reckless. I don't remember you teaching me to be either or both."

"No I did not." Zouken agreed. "The reasoning is acceptable, but I have one question."

Sakura blinked and Zouken smiled. "Friendly rivalry reduces but doesn't remove the risk of fighting." He said. "What will you do then?"

"I will fight of course." Sakura replied. "And I won't hesitate. I'll win, and I'll show her who the better magus between us is."

"Will you kill her?"

Sakura reeled back as though struck, and then Zouken chuckled. "No, excuse me…" he said. "…that was a bit sudden on my part. However you should think about it. After all, she is your sister, and that means she's probably more like you than you or her like to think."

"Yes I understand."

Zouken raised an eyebrow. "Do you now?" he said. "Based on what I said just now, what will you do if you beat her, and she decides to chase after you instead? Only that time, not as a friendly rival, but as something more…?"

Sakura looked surprised at that, and Zouken shook his head at her expression. "Why the surprise?" he asked. "Do not forget: up until now and presumably until you surpass her, she will always consider you as someone following her, _chasing_ her along the path she's already walked. She has gloried in her reputation and image as a genius greater than you, but what will happen when you destroy that and prove yourself as her greater? What will _you_ do in her place?"

For a few moments there was silence, and then Sakura answered. "I would deny it…" she said. "…until it becomes obviously undeniable. Then I would get angry, and chase after something that I would think was stolen from me and get it back no matter what."

"Correct…" Zouken said with a nod. "…keep that in mind, and plan accordingly."

"Yes."

"Good…" Zouken said. "…with that said, I'm satisfied for now. You are free to fulfil your acceptance of her invitation, both out of your wish to spend some time with her, and because as you say, starting a feud with a political superior – for now – this early on would be reckless and stupid, and developing a friendly rivalry would be useful as cover until you can stand as an equal or greater. Oh and, here's a research assignment for you."

Sakura tilted her head questioningly. "It's nothing too difficult." He said. " _Маскировка_ …find out what it means and entails, and I'm sure you'll be able to find a better reasoning than your current childish reasoning of 'friendly rivalry'. As you grow older, you'll find that such reasoning is meaningless, and _mаскировка_ becomes of greater importance."

Sakura was silent and still for a few moments, and then with a bow conceded defeat.

 _I am a child, so I think as a child. But when I grow up, I'll think like a adult._

* * *

"Mother…!"

Aoi Tohsaka looked in her daughter's direction as she rushed into the kitchen. "Then…?" she asked with baited breath. Rin nodded happily.

"She said yes!" Rin said, just resisting the urge to dance around happily. "Sakura said she'd come to tanabata with us this year! This is wonderful isn't it?"

"Yes it really is." Aoi said with a relieved sigh and a smile. "It really is…thank God."

Rin beamed. "It was worth not going to the Clock Tower this summer." She said while pumping her fist in the air in front of her. "Of course I'll have to work extra hard to keep up, but still…completely worth it."

Aoi smiled at her daughter's antics, and then a thought occurred to her. "But…" she said. "…did her grandfather say anything?"

"Oh…he wasn't there but Sakura said she'd persuade him somehow so I guess its fine."

"I hope so." Aoi said. "It would a shame to get this worked up and then to just have the rug pulled out from under us."

"It'll be alright." Rin insisted. "I'll believe in Sakura."

Aoi made to say something, only for the phone to start ringing. Motioning for Rin to wait, she went to the kitchen extension. "Hello, this is the Tohsaka residence. How may I help you?" she said as she answered the call. She blinked and then her expression lightened up. "Kariya…is that so? I understand. Hmm…yes, yes, okay I'll be there in an hour. Thank you."

Aoi put the phone back in place and then turned with a very happy expression on her face. "Looks like you were right Rin…" she said with a pat on Rin's head. In the future Rin would grow to be embarrassed or outraged by such a condescending gesture, but right now she just preened from the praising words and gesture. "…you were right to believe in your sister's ability to persuade that grandfather of hers."

"Then…?"

Aoi nodded. "He's allowed her." She said happily. "There's just one problem though: Sakura doesn't have a yukata, and your uncle wants me to come along to buy her one. Do you want to come along?"

Rin nodded. "Will Sakura be there?" she asked.

"Unfortunately not…" Aoi said with a sigh. "…Kariya says she's busy, and that she asked to be 'surprised'. Well I think we can give her a tasteful one, no?"

Rin nodded. "Yes!" she said, and Aoi patted her again on the head.

"We'll go out in an hour." She said. "I'll just finish cleaning the kitchen, and then I'll go freshen up and get ready. You do the same, alright?"

"Yes!"

Aoi smiled and nodded, and Rin left to return to her studies. As Aoi turned back to her household chores and breathed a sigh of relieved satisfaction. " _It's not as good as having her back…_ " she thought. " _…but being able to have moments like this – or at tanabata in a few days – is something to be thankful for. Thank God, hallelujah…_ "

Sighing again with relieved gratitude, she turned back to her task of keeping her kitchen clean, but already her mind was on what yukata would suit Sakura the best.

* * *

A/N

Sakura's ten, so not quite a child anymore but not quite a teenager (much less an adult) yet. So she uses big words and rambles vaguely about. This is deliberate on my part to show that despite being a genius/prodigy on par with Rin (which she actually is in canon if only Zouken didn't mistreat her) she's still just a little girl.

Zouken here though would condense her final reason in this way: you need to deceive your enemies or at least your rivals into thinking that you are comfortably behind them until it's too late, and you've already beaten them even before they start trying to put you back in what they think is your place. In other words: _maskirovka_ , literally disguise, which won Russia WWII and more recently, Crimea.

Finally Sakura's experiment: eventually she'll pull a fast one on Rin when the Holy Grail War approaches its crescendo, so remember this. Her frazzled appearance and singed clothes are hints to what she's experimenting on, so try your best in finding out.


	10. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I do not own the Fate franchise it belongs to Kinoko Nasu and Type-Moon.

Jewels and Crows

Chapter 9

Rin reached out and pulled. "Hey…!" Sakura protested as Rin pulled away the red ribbon which kept her hair tied back into a ponytail. "Give it back!"

Rin just laughed at her sister as Sakura lunged for the ribbon. Rin danced away, and then stepping into Sakura's guard forced her to a halt. As Sakura gasped in surprise, Rin reached up and tied the ribbon around a lock of hair on the left side of her face. "There we go." She said cheerfully. "That looks much nicer than a ponytail."

Sakura looked mutinous, but a laugh from Kariya stopped her. She glanced at her uncle, who nudged her along. "Now, now…" he said. "…don't argue. And I have to agree, that looks better on you than a ponytail."

Sakura grumbled incoherently under her breath, but subsided. Kariya smiled at the woman beside him and shrugged helplessly as Sakura yelped, dragged along by her sister into the crowd thronging around the festival stands. "Don't run now…" Aoi called after them. "…and don't forget your manners."

"Yes!"

Kariya waved after them, and then regarded Aoi briefly. As might be expected, she was dressed for the occasion though in a way that reflected her age: a yukata with a matching obi in dark blue, the former tastefully decorated with hexagonal frames in yellow and red. Kariya wore a similar yukata, only dark violet instead of blue and without any decorations.

In contrast, both Rin and Sakura wore more elaborate attire for the occasion, both wearing full kimonos as opposed to mere yukata. Rin's kimono was a bright red, with obi in orange folded in places to expose in contrast the green underside, and an under-robe in pale lavender. The kimono was decorated with images of plum blossoms, and embroidered stars ran diagonally along her skirt.

Sakura's kimono though – purchased for her by Aoi – was black with an under-robe of red and decorated with flowers and leaves, the former in various shades of yellow, blue and red. Her obi was a dark red, also folded in places to expose the golden underside. The kimono was well-received, though Sakura hadn't actually said anything. She'd simply held the kimono tight, and then letting it fall ran to and hugged her mother in silence.

That was thanks enough, and no one brought it up.

"It's such a shame." Kariya observed.

"Hmm…?" Aoi said as she led Aoi towards a stand selling takoyaki. "What is?"

"Those two…" Kariya said. "…it's only at times like this do they actually act their age."

"It's not like they've any opportunity to act it anywhere or anytime else." Aoi said with a sigh. The two of them waited silently in the line, and then after buying their snacks walked towards a quiet spot in the nearby park.

"So…" Kariya began lamely after they finished eating. He paused and scratched his head. "…how are things?"

"Things…?" Aoi echoed.

"Yeah, you know…things…" Kariya fumbled. Aoi gaped at him for a moment, and then began to laugh. She laughed for several moments, all the while Kariya glanced sourly at her before sulking.

"Sorry, sorry…" she said. "…I can't help it it's just that…the way you were talking just now…it's just…it's just like we went back in time you know? Back when we were younger and…"

"Things were less complicated." Kariya finished for her before taking a deep breath. "Yeah I suppose that's true. Where did all the years ago?"

"I wonder about that too." Aoi said, sighing and leaning against a nearby plinth. This deep in an urban area, few stars were visible over the lights of the city at night, but even so she enjoyed what she could see. Around them and a short distance away she could hear the sounds of the crowd, people laughing, chatting, talking and shouting among other things, just the perfectly-normal doings of ordinary people at a festival. "I've seen better days."

"Did you come down with something?" Kariya asked with sudden concern.

"Not really…" Aoi said with another sigh. "…I'm just…tired, I guess. There's just so much to do and…"

Aoi paused and sighed again. "Rin helps out around the house." She said. "But between her schooling and her magical training, there's only so much she can do. But I…I have to manage both the house and the family properties. I'm handling things fine but still, I won't be grumbling when I have to dump the latter on Rin when she gets old enough."

"Hey, hey…" Kariya said with a teasing smile and tone. "…that doesn't sound like you."

"I guess not." Aoi said with a laugh. "Alright how about this: when she comes of age, it will be both an obligation and a privilege to return to her what is rightfully hers."

"Stop that!" Kariya said, though his badly-hidden smile was a stark contrast to his stern voice. "You sounded like Tokiomi just now."

Aoi smiled cheekily at him. "Well…" he said. "…he was my husband."

Kariya made an uncomfortable sound at that, though Aoi was polite not to press the issue. In hindsight she probably shouldn't have brought it up, given the…rocky relationship between her late husband and her best friend. "How about you?" she asked in an effort to keep the conversation going while steering it to safer ground. "How are things on your end?"

Kariya coughed, and then he sighed. "To borrow your words…" he said. "…I've seen better days. Though, from the sound of things you might have it easier than I do."

"Oh?"

"Just like you I have to manage most of the housework – Shinji and Sakura help out when they can thankfully – along with the family properties." Kariya said heavily. "Zouken's input and output is needed for anything major since he's the family head, but seeing as he's so…busy, with his research I'm practically in charge. The problem though is…Byakuya. He's always been a drunk but recently he's…gotten worse. I won't go into the details but let's just say that even Zouken's beginning to be fed up with him."

 _At one point I had to step in to stop Zouken and Sakura from murdering him on the spot. Though considering what he did…what he tried to do…no, no I don't want Sakura to be a murderer. Never that…it's true that magi walk with death but even so…!_

"That bad, huh…?" Aoi said, taking and squeezing Kariya's hand reassuringly. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"Why?" Kariya asked, genuinely puzzled. "You have absolutely nothing to be sorry for."

Aoi smiled and shook her head. "Just…sympathy…" she said. "…and besides, he's your brother isn't he? Deep down, you still care for him."

"Blood is thicker than water…?"

Aoi shrugged while leaning back. "I'm not really sure if I can believe that." She said with just the slightest hint of bitterness. "Once I might have, no I did believe once, but now…? After…after…"

She fell silent, her voice trailing off as she looked down with a mixed expression of sadness, regret, bitterness, and self-loathing on her face. "It's alright." Kariya said, suppressing the urge to hug her in favour of a reassuring squeeze of the hand still in his. "She doesn't blame you. I don't. Both of us know you had no real choice in the matter."

"That's cold comfort." Aoi murmured. "And it's a lie as far as I'm concerned. Well not really, just a convenient and hollow excuse. She's my daughter. I bore her. I gave birth to her. And when Tokiomi made his decision, I just swallowed the bile and nodded my head, parroted the words he wanted to hear, and let her go. I let her go. _**I**_ let her go."

"Aoi…"

The woman in question didn't respond, and Kariya briefly subsided. And then taking a deep breath, he pulled her close and hugged her. Aoi's eyes widened in shock, her hands moving to push him away, and then she relaxed as she felt his hands patting her on the back. "It's alright." He told her. "Don't be so hard on yourself. Sakura's already forgiven you, assuming she even blamed you in the first place."

"How can you be…?"

"Okay she probably did blame you…" Kariya conceded, still whispering in Aoi's ear. "…for a while at least, but think about it. Would she have been so…welcoming a few years back in London and today of all times if she still blamed you?"

"I…"

Kariya pulled back, but kept his hands on her arms. He smiled at her. "I have never blamed you for what's happened." She said. "Am I still your best friend?"

"Always…" she said at once, and Kariya's smile widened.

"Then take my advice…" he said. "…forgive yourself, because the one you've wronged has already forgiven you. Don't you think you're making light of her forgiveness by still blaming yourself?"

Aoi looked down, and slowly nodded. "You…you're probably right…" she said. "…but…can I just really…"

"Eh…" Kariya said while rubbing the back of his head. "…I'm not saying that you can let it all go in one night, but…agreeing to stopping from blaming yourself as a first step works fine."

Aoi stared at Kariya, looking at him in the eyes. Kariya looked uncomfortable, but didn't break the stare either. After a few moments, Aoi looked away, her face showing herself deep in thought. And then she took a deep breath, and nodded. "Yes…" she said. "…the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. So…yes, taking this step is…good…"

"That's the spirit." Kariya said, stepping back and patting her reassuringly on a shoulder. Aoi looked at him slyly.

"You can be pretty cool at times, do you know that?" she asked, and she laughed as Kariya laughed nervously while looking away with a small blush. "Thanks…for being my friend, for taking care of Sakura, for tonight, and…well, everything. I wouldn't have it any other way."

Kariya smiled a bittersweet smile. "You're welcome." He said. "Though, I also have to thank you for being my friend too. It goes both ways, don't you know?"

"Yes I guess it does." Aoi agreed with another laugh, tilting her head curiously as Kariya gestured at the festival grounds.

"Come on…" he said. "…let's go see some of the sights. And we need to find the girls too. I'll buy you a snow cone too, if I remember right you used to like Uji Golden Hour don't you?"

"I did, and I still do." Aoi said, stepping forward and walking with Kariya back to the festival grounds. "Thanks for the offer, and I accept. There's just one problem though: how do we find the girls in this mess?"

Kariya grinned and whistled. They stopped walking, and then a few moments later a raven circled down and landed on Kariya's outstretched arm. "I didn't know you could use…" Aoi said, trailing off and not using the 'm' word.

"I don't." Kariya said, stroking the big black bird on the back. "I just have a contract with a few of Sakura's…friends."

Kariya fell silent, staring at the raven for a few moments before it gave a cry and flew off in a whirl of black feathers. "Shall we go?" Kariya asked, offering an arm which Aoi accepted. "Also, I don't think we _really_ need to hurry, but from the look of things Rin's burning through her allowance fast thanks to that competitive streak of hers."

"Oh?" Aoi asked with a sly tone so reminiscent of her eldest. "And Sakura's not competitive?"

"Okay so she is, but she has a tendency to look at things in the long view." Kariya conceded. "Zouken taught her that. Don't win today, but tomorrow, and the day after, and the day after that and so on."

"My…" Aoi remarked cheerfully. "…is that criticism I hear?"

"Wait, that's not what I…!"

Aoi laughed and nudged Kariya in the ribs, the man muttering to himself while rubbing his head in embarrassment. Aoi smiled at the sight, and took a liberating breath. It had been…too long since she felt this relieved, this… _relaxed_. She needed to do this some more.

And it's not like her best friend wouldn't mind helping her relieve her stress wouldn't he? And it wasn't like she wouldn't be relieving his stress too. It would work out for the both of them.

Chatting about their everyday lives and its comings and goings, they passed through the crowd to where the two girls that were the centre of their existence were waiting. Along the way they passed by a snow cone stand, Kariya buying a blueberry-flavoured one for himself, and an Uji Golden Hour-flavoured cone for Aoi.

As they approached where Sakura and Rin were supposed to be, they noticed a rather larger crowd than usual surrounding it. Sharing concerned glances, they stepped closer and pushed their way to the crowd, slipping to the front just in time to overhear Rin give a particularly vile oath in German.

"Rin…!" Aoi chastened her, causing the eleven year-old to jump in surprise.

"M-mother…?" she gasped. "W-what are you…?"

"Busted…" Sakura remarked deadpan, though her eyes glittered with amusement. She was holding a half-eaten snow cone in one hand, her other hand holding a plastic spoon. Kariya glanced at it, and noticed that she had the same flavour as Aoi's: Uji Golden Hour. He then glanced to where Rin was trying to excuse her foul language to her mother, and noticed the half-melted strawberry-flavoured snow cone beside the girl.

"How long have you been here?" he asked.

"This is just the second stall we've…patronized since we bought our snow cones." Sakura supplied helpfully.

"Don't tell me…" Kariya began incredulously while watching as Rin – who he noticed was looking more than a little _wild_ – tried to catch a goldfish with a paper scoop. The paper melted apart in the water, eliciting an amused response from the crowd and even Aoi (who masked her amused smile with a hand). Needless to say, Rin was _not_ amused.

"Yup…" Sakura said while spooning another spoonful of flavoured ice into her mouth. "…we've been here for nearly half-an-hour now."

"It's been an hour since we came here." Kariya said just as incredulously. Sakura nodded as Rin gave a sound of disgust and frustration. Before Sakura could say anything to that Rin was up on her feet and standing right in front of her. She held out a hand.

"What?" Sakura asked with a suspicious expression and tone.

"I'm out of money." Rin replied to the amusement of the crowd, the staff, and Aoi, while Kariya palmed his face. "Give me some."

"I don't want to!" Sakura refused. "Why do I have to give you money for a goldfish? And it's not like you'll actually catch it."

"Stop being so stingy, so come on…! And I'll catch one, you'll see, I just need a few more chances."

"No!"

Kariya palmed his face again as Rin and Sakura began pawing at each other – well Rin mostly – the former trying to cajole the latter into giving her some of her allowance while the latter tried to fend the former off without spilling her snow cone. Aoi nudged him in the ribs and winked. Kariya rolled his eyes and with a sigh stepped forward. "Hey come on you two…" he said as he placed his hands on their shoulders and gently pushed them apart. "…you're making a scene and…"

Suddenly Kariya's mobile phone was ringing, and with a sigh he reached into his pocket and pulled it out. "Zouken…?" he muttered as he saw who was calling. He answered at once. "Kariya speaking…WHAT…?"

Rin and Sakura blinked at their uncle's wide-eyed exclamation, and then glanced at each other.

* * *

"Come on dad, you can do it!" Shirou encouraged his father as Kiritsugu wound his arm back to take a shot. Kiritsugu wondered where all that confidence was coming from, and then discarded it as a pointless.

 _Even if he goes up against Altrouge Brunestud, I'm sure my boy will stay cheerful even as she sinks her fangs into his neck._

Fighting off the disturbing mental imagery that came with the thought, Kiritsugu turned back to the game. Though his strength had since left him, he should still be strong enough for this. He threw the wiffle ball and watched it bounce off the stacked bottles.

"Sorry sir." The man working the counter said. "But they're full of water. It's not going to be as easy as it looks."

Kiritsugu shot him a sour look and then picked up another wiffle ball. The man just shrugged it off. Kiritsugu paused to think. The water bottles were arranged like a pyramid, with three bottles on the bottom, two above them, and one on top. In hindsight considering how light a wiffle ball was compared to a bottle filled with water…

…yeah, just throwing wiffle balls at the whole thing would be an exercise in futility.

 _I've gotten short-sighted. In the past I'd never have forgotten to think first before acting. But then again…it's been a while since I couldn't afford to just take things as they come._

Kiritsugu drew his arm back, and threw. The wiffle ball struck true, knocking one of the bottles on the bottom slightly out of alignment. Smiling, Kiritsugu picked up another wiffle ball and threw it again. Again, another bottle was pushed out of alignment, and Kiritsugu then threw another ball.

This one brought the whole stack falling down, and this time it was Kiritsugu's turn to smirk at the surly counter operator. Kiritsugu stood back as the man handed the desired doll to Shirou, who thanked him for it before turning to Kiritsugu. Kiritsugu raised an amused eyebrow.

"I didn't know you were into dolls, Shirou." He observed, and Shirou scowled.

"It's not for me!" he said. "It's for Fuji-nee! You know she's been down recently since she found out that jerk of a boyfriend she had was two-timing her. So I want to give her something to cheer her up, so yeah, here we go!"

 _Considering that the doll in question is a tiger, it might have the opposite effect._

 _But then again, Taiga isn't stupid or petty either, and she'd probably see that Shirou just genuinely just wants to cheer her up._

"That's a good idea." Kiritsugu said with a nod and a pat on Shirou's head. "After what's happened, she could use some cheering up."

 _Not that Taiga is in any way depressed, more…broody and sulky. Well what did you expect? She was cheated on after all. Though what she did to the poor bastard with a shinai…ouch…_

 _He did have it coming though._

Taking a deep breath as he felt a wave of heaviness and weariness rise up from inside, Kiritsugu placed a hand on Shirou's shoulder. "Sorry Shirou…" he said. "…but do you mind if we go and sit for a while? I just…need a bit of a rest."

Shirou nodded. "Okay." He said, and accompanied his father to a sitting area a short walk away. For a few minutes they just sat there, Kiritsugu taking several deep breaths to calm his frail body down while Shirou sat holding his doll close, his legs swinging back and forth. Finally Kiritsugu managed to recover what little strength he had, and reaching into a pocket pulled out some money and handed it to Shirou.

"Why don't you go buy us some dinner?" he asked with a smile. "I'll be waiting for you here. We'll have dinner while we wait for the fireworks to start, and then we can go home."

"Home…?" Shirou echoed.

"Yeah sorry, but…" Kiritsugu said with an apologetic note. "…the crowds and all are taking a lot out of me."

"Sorry dad…" Shirou said with a downcast expression. "…I shouldn't have asked you to…"

"Oh it's fine Shirou…" Kiritsugu cut him off with a wave of a hand. "…I don't mind. And besides, that counter was more than a bit too high for you to throw balls over. Damn bastard's trying to scam kids."

"I could have stepped back to get some distance…"

"And got in the way of the crowd…?"

"Point…"

"Well Shirou…" Kiritsugu said. "…there's nothing wrong with asking for help from others. There's no need for anyone to be able to bear everything on their shoulders."

Shirou stared blankly at Kiritsugu at that, and Kiritsugu chuckled. "Well I guess that _was_ vague." He admitted. "From that game earlier, well you _could_ have stood or sat on a stool or a box or something to be able to throw the balls over the countertop. Or, you could have asked a friend, a relative, or a companion to do it for you. Just like earlier…"

"But…" Shirou said. "…it feels like a shortcut somehow."

Kiritsugu laughed and ruffled Shirou's hair. "That…? Coming from someone who _asked_ me to win the doll for him?" he asked, and Shirou laughed with embarrassment.

"I was just…trying to get you involved…" Shirou said. "…you seemed a bit down lately so…"

"I see." Kiritsugu said. "Sorry, I should have noticed. But going back to your 'shortcut', wouldn't you say the same thing about standing on a stool or any similar solution to a problem you're facing?"

"That's different."

"How so…?"

"You're still the one putting effort into it, only you're just using tools to make it easier." Shirou said piously. "Asking someone to do something for you just seems, well…"

"I'm not saying you should ask someone to do things for you." Kiritsugu said. "I'm saying you should ask someone to help you with what you can't do on your own."

"I'm…not really sure how that works back there." Shirou replied. "Helping means you all do your part right? But back there, you did all the work."

"Yes I did." Kiritsugu said. "And that's what 'helping' is all about. You do what others can't do but need to do. And you needed that doll to cheer Taiga up, didn't you? Only you couldn't get it on your own, not without too much fuss or inconveniencing others."

"I think I understand."

"Hmm…" Kiritsugu hummed. "…no, I don't think you do, not really. Then let me put it this way: it's the same as being a parent."

"A parent…?"

"Yes…" Kiritsugu said with a nod. "…children can't take care of themselves, so their parents take care of them for them…"

"Dad, that doesn't make sense." Shirou cut in incredulously. "It's not a matter of helping, seeing as it's the parents' job to take care of their children."

Kiritsugu laughed and scratched at a cheek. "Well that's true." He said. "Damn I'm really bad at explaining this kind of thing. I'd never cut it as a teacher."

"No, don't say that dad." Shirou said with a reassuring touch of Kiritsugu's arm. "I really did get it, and even before Waver-nii began teaching me magic, I learned a lot from you."

 _False…I barely taught you anything, and I didn't even notice that you were slowly killing yourself._

"Oh?" Kiritsugu commented. "Then explain what I just taught you about helping."

"It's like a pair of knights you see, both surrounded by enemies." Shirou answered. "But since each knight can only fight the enemies in front of him, he'll ask for help by asking his fellow knight to watch his back for him."

"Oh so you do understand." Kiritsugu said, ruffling Shirou's hair with a grin. Shirou grinned at Kiritsugu, and then standing handed him the doll. "Going to buy dinner…?"

"Yup…" Shirou said with a nod. "…you'll be waiting here, won't you?"

"Of course…" Kiritsugu replied. "…and if we finish early, I know a place from where we can see the fireworks better. It's a bit of a walk though, so you should hurry if we're to finish eating before the fireworks start."

Shirou nodded and ran off, leaving Kiritsugu alone. Once the boy was out of sight, Kiritsugu finally allowed his face to fall into his hands, breathing heavily. It took several moments for him to recover from this latest bout of weakness, and then he fell back against the bench. For a while he stared up at what few stars could be seen from an urban area like Fuyuki, and then he stared down at his bony, withered hands.

He clenched them, half-remembered battles coming to mind when those hands were strong, firm, and healthy, carrying weapons to kill his enemies with. He doubted if the same hands could do so now, not that he had any reason to do so again.

 _Angra Mainyu hates you._

Kiritsugu took a deep breath, running a hand over his face. "It's almost over now." He whispered. "I don't know how long I've got left, maybe a couple of days or weeks or months at most, maybe even tomorrow at the earliest. That's why…that's…"

 _Angra Mainyu curses you._

"I don't care." Kiritsugu whispered, letting his face fall into his hands again. "I saved the world. I burned so many people to death, and scarred and traumatized so many more, just another step along the path of least bloodshed, and my last. I won't go back to it, nor do I have any desire to do so."

 _Why?_

"I can't die yet." Kiritsugu said as he remembered getting 'spat out' of the oozing mass of pure evil, and confronted by the last remaining active Master of the previous war. "I'm going to die soon. I know that much."

 _Why did you reject it? You've killed so much for that insane dream of yours, so much so that the Grail agreed to grant your wish over mine, and yet…_

"But before that…" Kiritsugu whispered, looking back up at the sky. "…I have something to pass on to Shirou. Something more valuable…more important…than any money or property…"

 _Yes…I would have accepted what it might have offered me. A magus must be willing to sacrifice anything, his Humanity, his family, even the world itself, to reach the Root. That is our pride, a purity of purpose greater than those of mere spell-casters much less mundane Humans._

"I'll be seeing you soon, Iri." Kiritsugu said with a smile to the stars in the sky. "Even if that abomination took your body, I believe your soul is somewhere out there, waiting for me. Just wait a bit longer…just a bit…just long enough for me to give my last gift to Shirou…and then…and then…I can tell…I can tell you how sorry I am…I couldn't…I couldn't save you…save Illya…and how much I…"

Kiritsugu trailed off, closing his eyes and taking another deep breath.

 _A gunshot rang in the night amidst the flames, Tokiomi Tohsaka's corpse falling with his head in ruins. The Thompson fell to the Magus Killer's side, his arm slack, and with an expression of grim determination on his face he went to make the greatest sacrifice for the sake of peace in his whole life._

 _And after that, he would truly save the one and only life he could in his entire existence._

* * *

A/N

Will I pair them up, or will I not? Hmm…we shall see. I will enjoy what is to come, of that there is no doubt.

Rin is competitive like that. Not-broken Sakura…she should be like that too, but as Kariya said, and considering Zouken's personality and style (even if he has…'mellowed out' a bit) yeah, she'd probably have been taught to think long-term/big in terms of competition. Going back to Rin, yeah I know she could have reinforced the paper scoop, but using magic in public aside, I'd like to believe that someone like her who upholds 'proper behaviour and the like' would prefer to fight/compete fair.

Granted she's probably not averse to using underhanded methods if she has to, but generally she's a good person (although she does have bad traits one of which landed her a fate worse than death in an HF Bad End).


	11. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I do not own the Fate franchise it belongs to Kinoko Nasu and Type-Moon.

Jewels and Crows

Chapter 10

Kariya Matou sat on a seat in a hospital hallway, a few nurses of the night shift walking by every so often, along with doctors and patients. He looked up as he heard footsteps approaching in his direction, and fixed his attention on Aoi Tohsaka as she returned from the toilet.

"How bad is it?" she asked.

"Well he's alive…" Kariya said. "…if you can call being brain-dead alive, that is."

Byakuya Matou had apparently suffered a stroke, officially brought about by a slip and slamming his head against the floor coupled with the effects of his long-term alcoholism. Unofficially though, he'd tried to break into Sakura's room (again), having forgotten her absence tonight, and once again found himself physically and violently thrown back by her bounded fields.

Only this time, his karma was waiting for him, the impact against the opposite wall triggering a brain aneurysm. By the time Zouken – alerted by the sudden flare of magical power caused by his granddaughter's wards going active – found him, he was slumped unconscious on the floor.

"I'm sorry." Aoi said, and Kariya sighed.

"You shouldn't be." He said. "You have absolutely nothing to be sorry for."

"I know." Aoi said, taking a seat beside her best friend. "But even so, I want to because you won't."

Kariya gaped at Aoi, who smiled at him before taking his hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze. "That's what friends are for." She said, and Kariya nodded and sighed.

"You're too good for the likes of us…" He said. "…for both Tokiomi and myself, that is."

"Flatterer…" Aoi murmured. "…I'm not that praiseworthy."

For a while they just sat there, and then Kariya sat back. Taking back his hand he crossed his arms over his chest. "It's not that I don't feel…sad at Byakuya being as good as dead, if not worse." He said softly. "I do…but not in that way. I…I don't feel sad that he's dead. Maybe it's for the better this way before anything worse happened to him, and his life gets ruined even more that it already is. But…I…I feel sorry that he never amounted to anything…real. And that's all there is."

Aoi looked on in silence, and after a few moments Kariya glanced at her and smiled bitterly. "Pathetic aren't I?" he asked. "My brother's dead and instead of mourning, all I can do is feel sorry that he couldn't be anything more than just a drunk."

"No…" Aoi said with a shake of her head. "…maybe it's more than a bit judgmental on our parts, but I think that you're right to feel that way. Because as long as he was alive, he might have been able to…salvage his life, become someone. But he's dead now, and he isn't going to get any more chances."

Kariya nodded his agreement, and again they sat in silence. It was Aoi who broke it. "How will his…children, react to this, I wonder?" she asked. Kariya hesitated to answer, and then he sighed.

"It probably won't affect Sakura." He said softly, and Aoi glanced at him sharply. "They were never really close, and what interactions there were between them were…tense in the extreme."

 _What an understatement…he drunkenly tried to molest her once, and even after she defended herself and Zouken punished him for it he still tried to take advantage of her more than once in her sleep. If not for the wards on her room…_

"Oh Sakura…" Aoi said sadly, and then she shook her head. "…you…"

"Yes…" Kariya said with a nod. "…I'm just her uncle, but in the end the one who raised her and her brother was me. And there's Zouken too of course. Most of their interactions are…master and student, but they are close, closer than she and Byakuya were. To be honest, to Sakura Byakuya was just someone to fill-in the legal blanks. Nothing more and nothing less…but if either Zouken or I were to kick the bucket though…"

Aoi said nothing, though she nodded her understanding. "Shinji though…" Kariya whispered with a note of worry. "…now there's someone I worry about. Much like Sakura his relationship with his father was tense…"

 _Another understatement…the poor boy tries to help his father whenever he gets the worst of the bottle, and gets beaten for it because Byakuya thinks Shinji pities him. And yet, even so…_

"…but they were related by blood, unlike with Sakura." Kariya said. "Things could have been better between them, and Shinji kept hoping his father would improve. That's why he'd always striven to be the best he could be – and he is considering he's at the top of his class in school – so maybe his father would take notice. But now…"

"But now he's dead, and nothing will change." Aoi concluded, and Kariya nodded. "Maybe you can ask for some help dealing with your nephew from your father?"

Kariya winced at that, and after a while he shook his head. "That's…not a very good idea." He said. "Shinji's mother…she died from a magical experiment conducted by Zouken. It wasn't pretty, and it wasn't easy either."

 _I can't tell her how Zouken used to be, can I now?_

Aoi gave a gasp of horror at that, and Kariya placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's alright." He told her. "Zouken's more careful with Sakura, and I'm here. Well, _there_ …and I won't let anything go wrong with her experiments. I promise."

 _I hope I can._

"You won't break your promise this time?" Aoi said, and Kariya glanced at her sharply in shock and surprise. Aoi realized what she'd just said, and looked away with a regretful expression on her face. And with good reason: it was Kariya she was originally meant to marry, not Tokiomi, and they had in fact grown up together to prepare for that eventuality. And then the day came when Kariya inexplicably broke their engagement, and left to follow his own path, abandoning his family's legacy.

They'd stayed friends, and Kariya never gave his reason for doing what he did. He'd befriended Aoi's daughters in the few times he visited, though his relationship with Tokiomi had always been strained, whether out of jealousy or something else, and he'd later returned to take care of Sakura when she became a Matou.

And it had always been clear, if not explicitly so, that he regretted doing what he did, if only because he'd lost the chance to be with Aoi.

"Sorry…" Aoi said. "…I shouldn't have brought that up."

"It's alright." Kariya said softly. "It was a slip of the tongue, it happens."

Aoi nodded, and Kariya gave her a look. He then glanced at himself, and sighed. The two of them were still dressed in the yukatas they'd worn for the tanabata festival that night, and which they'd been forced to leave because of the…unexpected development.

Well, Kariya had wanted to leave Aoi at the festival, except she'd insisted on accompanying him. As for Rin and Sakura…well they were magi. They could be better trusted being left on their own than most kids of their age, and Rin had promised to look after Sakura.

Sakura had looked a bit miffed at that, but had let it slide.

"Sorry." Kariya said, and Aoi glanced at him in surprise.

"What?" she asked.

"It's tanabata tonight." Kariya said. "And I wanted to take you out to enjoy the night along with Rin and Sakura. Instead, you got dragged along into my family's troubles and…"

He broke off as Aoi began to laugh. He glanced at her stormily and after she stopped laughing she patted him on the back. "Sorry…" she said. "…I didn't mean to be rude. It's just that, we really are friends, aren't we?"

Kariya stared blankly at her, and she laughed again. "You're apologizing…" she said with a smile. "…or rather you apologized for something that you shouldn't be sorry for. Just like I did earlier…"

She smiled wider at him, and with a nervous laugh Kariya looked away with a slight blush, scratching at his cheek. And then there was a flicker of light from the window at the end of the hallway, followed by another, and then another. "Come on…" Aoi said, getting up and pulling Kariya along behind her. "…we should be able to look at the fireworks at least."

Kariya nodded his assent, following Aoi and joining her and a few nurses as they stared out the windows at the fireworks erupting over the city as the tanabata festival reached its climax. Gold, red, yellow, green and blue, sparklers and rockets, they erupted in a colourful display in the skies above, dazzling the onlookers with light and noise as they looked on with awe.

Unnoticed by either of them, as they stood side-by-side and watching through the windows, Aoi and Kariya's hands met and firmly held on to each other. They watched in silence, taking comfort in the display of relative normality presented by the festival's fireworks display, until it too came to an end.

And as it did, Kariya remembered something he had read once. It was just a passing read, flipping through a book of proverbs that caught his eye as he passed through a bookstore once. It didn't seem very relevant at the time, but now…

 _Take what opportunities you can to start something new and good, or to rekindle old friendships._

"Hey…" Kariya began, turning to look at Aoi.

"Hmm…?"

"We weren't really able to enjoy the festival tonight." Kariya said softly. "So I was wondering…would you like me to make it up for you by taking you to the one next year?"

Aoi smiled happily at him at that, happier than he'd ever seen her before. Maybe it was just his mind playing tricks on him, but Kariya decided to take Aoi's happiness at face value. "Yes…" Aoi said happily. "…I'd like that very much."

* * *

"Sakura…!" Rin Tohsaka called loudly as she walked through the crowds. "Where are you?"

As promised, after her uncle and mother had left for the hospital after they'd received news of Byakuya Matou's stroke, she – Rin – had looked after Sakura as they enjoyed themselves at the festival. For the most part: their mother had given Rin a second allowance, and Sakura made sure Rin didn't waste it all on a single game this time.

 _I'll never speak of that to anyone._

The past two hours had been fun, the two girls playing games and eating as they wiled the time away while waiting for the fireworks to start. Only now…Sakura had given Rin the slip after they'd stopped by a fortune teller's stall. Rin found it absurd, though she was too polite to say so publicly. Sakura however had looked intrigued.

 _When the jackals hound you and snap at your heels, stand strong, for the red-eyed master and the youngest shall come to your aid._

 _You are the last, but your role shall be the first._

Something soft and cold brushed by Rin's cheek, followed by another. She looked up in the direction where the cold brushes were coming from. Her jaw dropped.

"What the hell?" someone nearby vocalized what she was thinking in that moment.

"Snow…? In the summer…?"

"It's snowing!"

As shouts and words of perplexed surprise (from adults) and delight (from younger children) came from the crowd, Rin could only gape. "OH…MY…GOD…" she said while slowly shaking her head. "...Sakura…what have you done?"

As though in response, a raven flew down, cried loudly as it brushed one of Rin's pigtails with its wings, and then flew in the direction of the river. Narrowing her eyes, Rin followed after the bird. As she slipped through the crowd and past the festival grounds and out into the open, the snowfall slackened and finally stopped.

 _Figures…it didn't even last a few minutes, and covered only a small area. But it would be troublesome if it lasted longer, and over a larger area. Honestly…what was she thinking? Is she just trying to draw attention or stir something up?_

As she ran past the few trees near the riverbank, Rin stumbled as she crossed the threshold of a bounded field. "A bounded field…?" Rin whispered as she turned to examine it. "I see. It repels mundane Humans and conceals her from prying eyes. So that's how she cast without me noticing…"

Rin felt something cold and…hard (?) strike her in the back of the head, and she stumbled forward. And then she was cringing and jumping wildly as she felt melting snow beginning to slide down her neck. " **SAKURA!** " she exploded once she managed to prevent _that_.

The other magus was grinning at her, standing next to a small pile of snowballs. She picked one up, drew her arm back, and threw. It struck Rin full in the face.

"Come on sis…" Sakura said. "…let's have some fun. Summer games are all well and good, but that's rather…ordinary don't you think? We don't get together a lot, so we should do something more memorable, don't you think?"

Rin spluttered as she wiped the snow from her face. "A snowball fight in summer is memorable, wouldn't you agree?" Sakura asked with a cheeky grin. It vanished as Rin gestured and a large amount of river water turned to snow and hurled itself at Sakura like a wave.

"Oh yes, it's very memorable." Rin said stiffly, crossing her arms and pointedly looking away. "It's also very irresponsible, using magic out in the open like this."

There was no response, and after a few moments Rin began to get worried. "Sakura…?" she asked. There was no response, and she walked towards the large pile of snow. "Hey Sakura…this isn't funny. Come on, stop playing…dead, and come out. Sakura…? Sakura…?"

 _Oh my God….please, please, please, please…! Don't let me have hurt her!_

As she walked over the snow, Rin looked for any sign of her sister. There wasn't any, and Rin found her chest clenching at the thought that she might have hurt her sister with that last spell of hers.

 _She just wanted to play a game! Oh my God…what have I done?_

"Sakura…! Where are you?" she shouted over the snow. "Sakura…!"

A hand shot up from under the snow and grabbing her ankle, _pulled_. Rin screamed in fright and surprise as she fell to the snow, and then Sakura was erupting up through the snow. "You cheated!" she accused Rin, pelting her with handfuls of snow.

"Cheated…?" Rin echoed angrily, also getting up and throwing handfuls of snow at Sakura. "You were the one who threw the first snowball! At my back…!"

"Okay I did." Sakura admitted as she got to her feet and began to run around Rin while throwing snow at her. "But it's a _snowball_ fight. You didn't have to almost bury me in snow."

Rin snorted and then smiled, dodging Sakura's attacks and responding in kind. Sakura grinned back. After several minutes running back and forth while trading snowballs, Rin repeated her spell from earlier, turning a large amount of river water into snow and throwing it at Sakura.

Sakura dodged and scowled. "Hey that's…!" she began only to be tackled by a laughing Rin to the ground. Sakura responded by pushing heaping handfuls of snow into Rin's face, causing the spluttering Rin to roll off of her. Sakura however stayed lying down on the snow, as the first rocket soared up into the sky and exploded loudly with a shower of golden light.

A moment later and she felt Rin fall on her back beside her. "Well that was fun…" Rin said breathlessly. "…though I wish it could have been longer."

"It's memorable enough I guess." Sakura said. She reached up as though to grab hold of one of the explosions, and then let her hand fall back to the ground. "A snowball fight in summer…I spent most of my reserves, but it's worth every drop."

"Yes I agree." Rin said. As the fireworks continued to explode above them, they just lay there in silence, enjoying each other's presence and the show above. But all good things must come to an end, and eventually the last firework spent itself.

As the velvet darkness of night returned undisturbed, Sakura pushed herself up to a sitting position. "Hey…" she began. "…did you know?"

"What?" Rin asked, also getting up to a sitting position.

"I became a Matou because the Matou family needed an heir." Sakura said. "And also, it was to keep me from wasting what magical potential I had, which was equal to yours."

"Yes, I know that."

"Is that all you know?"

"What?"

"Tokiomi-san…no, _father_ had another motivation." Sakura said. Rin glanced at her in surprise. "Grandfather told me. It's connected to the Holy Grail War."

"The Holy Grail War…?"

Sakura nodded. "He said…" she began. "…in the next Holy Grail War, father wanted you to win and go down in history as the final victor of the Holy Grail War. And I was to be your great rival, your greatest enemy, and go down in history as the one you defeated to earn your victory."

"Oh Sakura…"

Sakura got to her feet, and dusted the snow off of her kimono. She turned to Rin, and to Rin's surprise offered a hand. Rin hesitated, and then took it, letting Sakura help pull her up, though she worried at how Sakura's arm shook with the strain of doing so.

 _Sakura…?_

"I don't intend to lose." Sakura said before giving a small smile. "But I don't mind a draw either. What do you think?"

Rin snorted before looking at what stars there were in the sky. "You're asking me to go up against father's wish?" she asked.

"I am." Sakura said.

"I thought so." Rin said with a small laugh. "Well…I don't intend to lose either, but just like you, I wouldn't mind a draw."

Sakura laughed. "And father's wish…?" she asked.

"I'm the Head of the Tohsaka Clan now." Rin replied with a hint of smugness. "I think I have the right to go against his decisions if I think it is right, don't you?"

Sakura smiled and nodded, and joined Rin looking up at the stars. "Yes, I think so too." She said. A few minutes and she stared to walk away. "Shall we go and look for mom and uncle?"

Rin nodded before running up to walk beside her sister. "What about the snow though?" she asked worriedly. "Shouldn't you deal with it?"

"It'll take care of itself."

"Sakura…" Rin said reprovingly, and Sakura made a placating gesture.

"It'll be alright." She said. "The bounded field won't go down until the last of the snow melts."

"Oh is that so?"

"Yes."

Rin laughed and rubbed at her arms. "We should go out like this more often." She said. "Or something along that line…"

"Yes…" Sakura eventually said. "…we should."

* * *

"Her name was Irisviel, Irisviel von Einzbern. But I called her Iri, and she called me Kiri. And more than that, she was my wife, so in a way you could call her your mother. And this Shirou, was, no _is_ our daughter, and your sister Illyasviel von Einzbern. And just like us, she had a nickname: Illya."

The walk back home was a quiet one, Shirou sensing his father's unwillingness for small talk, and Kiritsugu too tired for it. Instead they'd simply enjoyed each other's company on the way back.

After arriving Kiritsugu had told Shirou he had something to talk to him about, and asked asked him to wait on the veranda. Shirou had obeyed, and Kiritsugu went to find the pictures of his wife and daughter.

"Where are they now?" Shirou asked, looking down at the framed picture of Kiritsugu, Irisviel, and Illya he was holding. They looked…happy, a family of three going out for an outdoor walk in winter from the look of things.

For a moment he felt jealousy stir in him, but he pushed it down with a mix of determination and shame. Why should he be jealous of his father being happy with his family? And didn't his father give as much to him for the past few years now? And besides that…

…where were they now? There had to be a reason why his father was only telling him this now.

And he was right.

"Iri is…no longer with us." Kiritsugu said sadly, and Shirou felt even more ashamed of being jealous of the dead. "As for your sister, she lives with her mother's family."

"Dad…"

"We had a falling out." Kiritsugu said softly. "That's why despite being her father, I couldn't go back to her. The Einzbern wouldn't let me."

"That's just wrong!" Shirou said. "Even if they're also her family, you're still Illya-nee's father aren't you? They don't have the right to keep you away from her! You have more rights to her than they do!"

"Yes, I know it's wrong." Kiritsugu agreed. "I know what Einzbern is doing is wrong. But you know Shirou reality isn't like a fairy tale. Just because something is right and good, it doesn't always follow that's what will happen. It's sad I know, but that's the kind of world we live in."

"You don't really believe that, do you dad?"

Kiritsugu slowly turned to face Shirou, and he was struck by the profound expression of bittersweet resignation on his father's face, in his smile, and the weary depths of his eyes. "Sometimes…" he said. "…justice is better served by knowing when to look away. You do everything you can, and when it isn't enough, all you can do is hope that someday, somehow, someone who can do better than you will come and set things right."

Shirou looked troubled, and he looked down at the picture in his hands. She was…small, his sister, though she was probably bigger by now. "How long ago was this picture taken?" he asked.

"She was nine in that picture, if I remember right." Kiritsugu said. "That was a year or less before I met you."

For a few minutes they sat in silence, and then Shirou looked at his father with a determined expression on his face. "Einzbern is a magus family." He said. "Aren't they dad?"

"Yes, they are. One of the oldest, and the most powerful…"

Shirou hesitated, looking away, and then he looked back at Kiritsugu to determinedly press on. "I won't give up." He said. "I'm not really cut out for a magus I think, but I've got talent for it anyway. So somehow, I'll…!"

"When I was a child…" Kiritsugu interrupted. "…I dreamed of becoming a hero of justice."

Shirou gaped at his father's sudden tangent. "But eventually I realized…" Kiritsugu said. "…that saving someone means not saving somebody else. For everyone I saved, there were so many others that I couldn't save."

"Dad…"

Kiritsugu looked at Shirou, and with a small smile raised a hand and gently patted him on the head. As he returned his hand to his lap, Kiritsugu looked back up at the sky. "If you want to become a magus to save your sister…" he said. "…be careful. Remember what you said all those years ago, that when you become a magus, you'll be one you can be proud of."

"Are you saying…?"

"No, not at all…" Kiritsugu responded. "…I'm not saying you should give up on being able to 'save' your sister. Or for that matter, being a magus to be truly proud of. All I'm saying is, well, here's a good proverb: it's not the destination that matters, but the journey."

Shirou blinked, and then he smiled and nodded. "I see." He said. "I understand."

"I'm glad to hear that, Shirou."

"But…" Shirou said. "…about what you said earlier, does that mean you've given up on your dream?"

"A hero…?" Kiritsugu said softly, his eyes growing heavy. This time he didn't fight. He had nearly no strength left. "How can you call yourself one if you can't save everyone? What's the point in saving someone, at the cost of not saving others? I'm not saying it's wrong, saving people that is, but the dream…the dream…I woke up."

Shirou glanced at Kiritsugu, and then back at the sky. He sighed and smiled. "I think I understand what you're saying." He said. "But it isn't right either to give up on your dreams. That's why apart from getting my sister back, I'll make your dream come true."

Kiritsugu didn't answer at once, and then he nodded slowly. "I see." He said softly, his eyelids growing heavier and sliding down over his eyes. "That's good to hear. I'll be…watching Shirou…"

 _Iri…Iri…I'm sorry I couldn't do more for Illya…for you…but I…I don't regret leaving now…Shirou…he'll set things right. I know he will. Iri…sorry…for making you wait so long…_

Shirou sat in silence, his smile slowly fading as he turned to glance at his father. Kiritsugu sat there beside him, his head and shoulders slumped and his eyes closed as though asleep. Only, he wasn't breathing. "Dad…" Shirou whispered, but Kiritsugu didn't reply. He never would again. But as Shirou felt his eyes begin to water, he noticed that his father was smiling.

He was smiling. He was dead, but he was content, and at peace. And while Shirou couldn't really be happy for him, he could be strong.

He had to be, now and for what would come tomorrow, and the days after. He had promised, and he didn't plan to break his promises.

He wouldn't.

* * *

A/N

Shots fired, Tokiomi must be turning in his grave.

Shirou, can you keep your promises or will you die trying? Or, like in Heaven's Feel will you abandon one for the other, or both for something else?


	12. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I do not own the Fate franchise it belongs to Kinoko Nasu and Type-Moon.

Jewels and Crows

Chapter 11

"What are you doing here?"

Shinji glared from his bed at the girl leaning against the doorframe of his room's entrance. As usual, Sakura wore a coolly-neutral expression as she faced him. "How are you?" she asked softly.

Shinji sneered. "I won't ask a second time Sakura." He snarled. "What are you doing here?"

"My obligation as your sister…" She replied. "…now, answer my question: how are you?"

"DON'T FUCK WITH ME!" the older boy exploded as he got up from his bed. "Obligation…? My sister…? You worthless bitch! I don't need or want your empty sympathies just so you can feel satisfied with yourself! I don't need a sister, least of someone who's only a Matou in name, and just someone who tricked their way into the family to steal our, no **MY** inheritance…"

" _Oh I'm definitely not going to 'fuck' with you._ " Sakura thought derisively as she quietly absorbed her brother's ravings. " _Us being too young for_ _ **that**_ _aside, there's absolutely nothing attractive about you at all. And of course, you're still my 'brother'. It's immoral._ "

Sakura blinked as her brother finally finished his tirade, and stood staring and breathing hard in the middle of the room. "Are you finished?" she asked. She suppressed a smile – that would hardly be helpful – as his eyes all but popped out of his face with rage. "I suppose you think I pity you, don't you?"

Shinji's rage instantly cooled, and he stood silent and cold, glaring at her. " _Good…_ " Sakura thought. Just like their 'father' Shinji didn't like to be pitied. In a way cold rage was more dangerous than a fiery explosion of temper, but at least in that state one could actually think…for a given value. That was enough though.

"I am the last person in the world who should pity anyone." Sakura added. "Or have you forgotten? I'm just a spare remember? A good-for-nothing useful only to be traded away for favours owed and future obligations…come to think of it, you called me a giveaway before didn't you? At the time I got angry but now…I can't really deny it, can I?"

Shinji sneered and looked away. Sakura sighed, and pushing herself off the doorframe, held up a book she was holding under her other arm. "I was going to give this to you as a birthday present." She admitted. "But now…maybe it'll be better to give it to you."

She tossed it to Shinji who caught it with both hands. He glanced at it and his eyes widened and narrowed in quick succession. "Is this supposed to be some kind of joke?" he hissed.

Sakura shrugged and walked away. "You're still alive aren't you?" she answered cryptically.

"Wait, you…!" Shinji shouted after her, throwing the book aside and rushing after his sister through the door and down the corridor. He grabbed her by the shoulder and spinning her around, pushed her against the wall with a hand on her collar.

At the same time Sakura's right hand folded, except for her index and middle fingers, which were pointed into Shinji's chest, over his heart. "What?" she asked with a challenging smile. "Are you going to take advantage of me, _onii-san_? Like father, like son…? But don't forget: when I boiled _father's_ blood, it was a clumsy, spur-of-the-moment thing. This time…do you really think I can't and won't crush your heart if you try anything funny?"

To her surprise Shinji grinned, and pushed his face close to her. A hand rose to hold her chin, Sakura not realizing that even though her voice was firm, her eyes had wavered ever so slightly with fear and indecision. And Shinji had noticed.

"Can you do it then?" he asked her. "Can you kill me?"

"If I must…" Sakura whispered, only this time her voice wavered.

Shinji's leer grew, and he drew closer to whisper in her ear. "You know what…" he whispered. "…I don't think you can."

For a moment Sakura was silent, and then her hand dropped. "Probably not…" she admitted. "…but if you take advantage of me, onii-san, are you prepared for what grandfather and uncle will do to you?"

Shinji pulled back, and again held her chin. "After you let me do as I please?" he asked.

"You disgust me." Sakura said coldly. "I'll consider it payment for using me."

Shinji sneered, and then let her go. "You're no different from me." He spat, and to his surprise Sakura agreed.

"I can't deny that." She said. "You want to prove yourself better than me, that the Matou family doesn't need me, and that you're enough for them. Me…? Is my motivation all that different? I want to be her – Rin Tohsaka – equal if not her better. And just like you, I'm someone the people we care for considered…defective."

The siblings were silent, standing alone in the corridor with their thoughts. And then Shinji broke the silence. "Why?" he asked. "If you understand…why do you mock me?"

"When did I do that?"

"That book…!" Shinji exploded, turning on Sakura. "You gave me a book on magic. You know my magic circuits are duds, so why?"

Sakura responded by drawing her ritual dagger, Shinji recoiling as she stepped closer and grabbed his hand. "You're not stupid, onii-san." Sakura said. "Theory-wise you're probably as good as if not better than I am when it comes to magic."

"What are you saying?" he asked.

"You know as well as I do that magic circuits aren't the only means to perform miracles." Sakura replied. "They're just the easiest, the most convenient, and the most reliable means to do so. Breathing and walking, the divine magic of the Holy Church, Witchcraft and Formalcraft: there are many ways to perform miracles other than what's considered orthodox by the Mages Association."

Shinji stared at her. "I don't…" he began, and yelped as Sakura ran her dagger's edge over his finger. "…that hurt!"

"Yes I know." Sakura said, wiping her dagger before sheathing it again. "And you're bleeding."

"That is obvious, you imbecile." Shinji ground out, pressing his kerchief against his cut. Fortunately it was neither too deep nor too large, so the bleeding should stop soon.

"Don't you get it onii-san?" Sakura said. "You're alive. And as long as alive you can do something, one way or another."

"Stop speaking in riddles."

"Fine…" Sakura said with a shrug before turning to walk away. "…just remember: energy is energy, no matter form it takes. Electricity, prana, od and mana, even _life energy_ , it's all the same in the end no matter how you look at it."

Shinji stared after her for a few moments, and then his eyes widened and his jaw dropped in surprise. "No way…" he breathed. "…are you saying?"

"See…?" Sakura said, pausing to smile and look over a shoulder. "I never thought you were stupid onii-san. And you know what? I was right. If you figure this much out, then I was right."

"Why?" Shinji demanded as she began to walk away again. "Why go this far? Why help me? We've never gotten along, so why?"

Again, Sakura stopped walking only this time she didn't look back. "You're my brother." She said, and then continued on her way.

Shinji stared after her, until she turned a corner and was gone. He looked down, and then pulling his kerchief away, caressed the line of the cut Sakura had made on his finger. It was sore, and would probably stay that way for a good while yet. Staring after the vanished figure of his little sister, he turned and went back to his with a troubled expression on his face.

As he entered, his eyes fell on the discarded book Sakura had given him. Shinji stayed still on his room's threshold for several moments, and then with a sigh went over and picked it up. He read the cover.

 _The Fundamentals of Formalcraft: Rituals and Ceremonies_

" _Formalcraft…_ " Shinji thought, and recalled a brief description of this variant of Thaumaturgy. " _…a form of magecraft practiced by those with lacking magical potentials. It focuses on Grand Rituals and other such forms of magecraft that primarily depend on mana, the 'greater source' of magical energy, in order to compensate for a lack of od. It greatly resembles the magical stereotype, with long spells, complicated rituals and preparations, and excessive amounts – for a average magus – of reagents and mystic codes. Because it is so widely-known – even among mundane Humans – its power is somewhat…diluted. However in the hands of a skilled practitioner, it has its uses, and can perform miracles comparable to those of more gifted magi._ "

Shinji held the book, and sat down on the edge of his bed. He flipped through the book, and then tossing it to the side let himself fall on his back.

He lay in silence for a while, and then held up his hand, staring at Sakura's cut.

… _energy is energy, no matter form it takes. Electricity, prana, od and mana, even_ _ **life energy**_ _, it's all the same in the end no matter how you look at it._

" _I still need a little od to start a ritual._ " Shinji thought, staring at the cut. " _But…with the right preparations, then maybe I…_ "

With a sigh Shinji let his hand fall onto the bed beside him. " _Blood magic…?_ " he thought. " _It's crude and barbaric, but it might work as a substitute for od when starting Formalcraft rituals._ "

Shinji rolled over to his side on the bed. " _Why are you helping me Sakura?_ " he thought. " _Pity…? Just to amuse yourself…? Or is it something else…? And more than that…_ "

Shinji thought back to when he had pinned her against the wall. She smelled…nice. And her skin…even if it was just her chin, it was so _smooth_ and _soft_. And her pale, slender neck…so close and so…exposed…it was too…inviting…

 _You disgust me. I'll consider it payment for using me._

Shinji growled, and sitting up grabbed a pillow and threw it across the room. "Damn you, witch…" he spat. "…what are you planning? Damn you for being too…"

Shinji cut himself off, and taking the book stared at it closely. At length he nodded and held it close. "It doesn't matter what you're planning." He hissed. "I'll show you who the better magus is between the two of us. Just you wait…!"

And outside of his window, unnoticed, a pair of crows watched and listened.

* * *

"You should be more careful you know."

The gravelly voice echoed from no apparent source, instead seeming to come from the darkness all around. Sakura didn't seem fazed at all, keeping a neutral expression on her face as she walked around the pit in the middle of the Matou mansion's basement.

She kept her eyes fixed on it, at the worms writhing and slithering over each other and against the stone. The entire place was made of rough-cut stone, with niches cut into the wall large enough to hide a man in, mostly dead ends but a few – to those who knew – led deeper into laboratories and alchemical and magical facilities.

A large cage hung from the ceiling on heavy chains, so reminiscent of a medieval torture chamber. Not for the first time, Sakura wondered if anyone had ever been placed in the cage.

"Careful about what…?" she asked, coming to a halt and stooping down to her ankles to get a closer look on the worms. They were…crude, compared to her ravens and crows. They were simple and primitive things, operating on base desires and instincts with a direct intervention of their master's mind needed for them to go beyond.

And even when they went beyond the basic, they were still very limited in what they could do.

Still, they had interesting properties of their own. They could 'carve' mysteries directly into flesh, though it came with a cost. Lethal for men, and…degrading for women. Apart from that, they also had an evolutionary factor that Sakura doubted could be replicated efficiently for more complex life forms.

Not that she wanted to change from birds to worms though.

 _My wings might be as black as night, but they let me fly. They let me fly._

"Bluffing…" Zouken replied. "…it's dangerous you know if you can't back up your bluff when the opposite party calls it. What would you have done if Shinji had ravished you then and there?"

"I don't think an eleven year-old boy is capable of ravishing anyone." Sakura replied, and Zouken snorted his disbelief.

"I do not recall teaching you to be delusional." He said.

"True…" Sakura admitted. "…sorry…but then I'd have crushed his heart."

"Really…? Could you have gone through with the threat?"

"I might have." Sakura whispered. "I might have. I faltered yes, but I might have gone through with it."

"And if you couldn't?" Zouken challenged her. "What then?"

"Then I'll have him pay for his night of ravishing his little sister." Sakura said. "I certainly won't say anything in his defence when Uncle Kariya beats him to an inch of his life, or if you flay him alive. Or worse, throw him in here."

"I see."

"Engraving…" Sakura suddenly said. "…that was how Matou magi used to be trained wasn't it?"

"So it is."

"The prospective magus is cast into this pit…" Sakura said, staring down into the pit. "…and the worms proceed to…nest in their bodies. This is incredibly painful, as no matter how you look at it, it is parasitic infestation. And that is a most painful condition."

Zouken was silent, and Sakura pressed on. "However…" she said. "…while nested in their bodies, the magi gain…knowledge of mysteries by having it directly…carved into them. That is engraving. In a way, they would be similar to homunculi, pseudo-Phantasmal Beings for whom magecraft is as natural as breathing."

Zouken finally emerged from the shadows, the old man slowly walking up beside Sakura. Sakura glanced at him as he approached. "That was my fate, was it not?" she asked. Zouken turned to return her glance.

"And your point is?" he asked.

"What changed things?" Sakura asked, and Zouken smiled.

"Ask me again when you're older." He said, reaching out to pat her on the head, and then trailing a finger down through her lock of silver, alchemy-touched hair. "For now suffice to say that my research into…regenerative serums is derived from the change in circumstances."

"Is that so?" Sakura asked, and then she smiled. "Then I'll be satisfied with that for now."

"It was a flawed system in hindsight." Zouken admitted. "Wasteful when it came to men, they didn't last long before the worms triggered critical organ failure and killed them. And the women became too…wanton for lack of a better word, as energy shortages caused them to go into heat. Also while not to the same extent, they too suffered from physical degradation much like men did."

He glanced at Sakura. "What's your opinion on this?" he asked.

Sakura stood up. "As a person and as a woman…" she said, earning an amused chuckle from Zouken at the last word. "…I am disgusted by the whole idea, and extremely thankful that it did not happen to me. Prudence would also urge me to get as far as possible before the possibility looms overhead like a thundercloud."

"How poetic…" Zouken remarked. "…is that all?"

"As a magus it was flawed…" Sakura said. "…but it was effective. Though, I wonder if it could have played a role in the eventual decay of the Matou bloodline."

"Hmm…" Zouken mused. "…I never thought of it that way. Yes, perhaps there might be a point in there. It's something to look into, when I have the time. If it is, then there's even more to be thankful for, for abandoning an ultimately self-destructive procedure."

Sakura nodded, and silently regarded the worms again. And then to Zouken's surprise, she pulled out her dagger, and slit her wrist open. "Wha…" he blurted out, and then his eyes widened as Sakura allowed her blood to spill into the pit and working the worms into frenzy. "…what are you doing Sakura?"

"I don't really know to be honest." She admitted. "A whim I guess…? Let the worms taste what they might have tasted."

She looked curious. "Does it bleed?" she asked.

"Engraving…?"

"Yes."

"Only if you're a man, and you can't master them completely." Zouken said. "Though not at first, and certainly not for women at all. They can bite through and into the body, but they prefer to use existing orifices.

Even in the dim light Sakura turning a bit green at the idea was noticed by Zouken who chuckled with amusement. "You did ask." He pointed out. "And it's all academic, so why?"

"I was curious…though not to actually try it myself."

"I should think not." Zouken said. "You are too old, and it would be wasteful for you to discard what…effort you've put into your miracles up until now to follow an old, potentially self-destructive, and admittedly-flawed system."

"Of course, but I am a magus. It's in my nature to be curious."

"Yes, yes it is."

Sakura blinked and noticed how several worms had climbed up the wall of the pit, following what blood managed to drip against and down the wall as opposed to falling straight into the pit. A few of them had crawled over the edge, and were edging towards her. "Вот триумф Тесла." She said.

Static popped and sparked, bright flares in the shadows of the underground. The worms which had come close squealed and died, foul-smelling wisps of smoke rising as their bodies blackened and curled up into shrivelled husks. Zouken raised an eyebrow at the sight.

"Impressive…" he said, purple eyes narrowing as he tried to see how she managed to pull that off. "…how did you manage to generate electric current? Lightning falls under wind, and you don't have an affinity for wind."

Sakura smiled as she swept the dead worms into the pit with a foot. "That's a secret." She said, and Zouken laughed.

"Oh very well…" he said with good humour. "…keep your secrets, I'll figure it out sooner or later."

He glanced at her, and then walked around to her other side. Taken her arm, Zouken wiped the wrist clear of blood, and tossed the bloody kerchief into the pit before running a finger over the wound. "There you go." He said. "All clean."

Sakura nodded. "Thank you." She said, sheathing her dagger.

"So, did you have anything else to do apart from small talk and asking my opinion about that altercation between your brother and yourself?"

"Not really…" Sakura said. "…though is that advice about bluffs all you really think of it?"

Zouken briefly considered matters. "Yes…" he finally said. "…for the most part. I am curious to see how far Shinji can go with Formalcraft. He's a smart boy, though possessing the characteristic arrogance of the family that isolated us in the past. It might have been useful, that isolation, considering our previous methods but now…"

Zouken shrugged. "Well we'll see." He said. He gave her a good eyeing. "You don't seem to have that flaw, though you are hardly perfect yourself."

"Perfection is an illusion." Sakura quoted. "You taught me that. The moment you achieve 'perfection' you trap yourself, because in believing yourself 'perfect' you lose the ability to advance and go further than you already have. One should strive to be perfect, but to never actually be perfect."

"Well said…" Zouken said with a nod. "…it's good to see somebody's been listening."

Sakura smiled and nodded. "Well…" Zouken said. "…if worse comes to worse I'll just divide the inheritance into three."

"Three…?" Sakura echoed, and Zouken smiled unknowingly.

"That would be telling." He said. "Now go, go and get ready for your father's funeral. You didn't care much for him, and neither did he for you, but we have to go through the motions regardless."

"Yes."

* * *

"Kiritsugu Emiya has died."

"I am aware."

Caren Ortensia stared at her father. A few moments later and Kirei Kotomine slowly turned his head to stare back at her. "May I be of assistance?" he asked.

"It's just that as a former enemy of his…" Caren said. "…I would have thought that you would react more…vehemently to his death outside of your hands."

"Your grandfather talked too much it seems." Kirei said with uncharacteristically-acid tone. "It is true that I held something of a…grudge towards Kiritsugu Emiya…"

"Grudge…?" Caren echoed. "Grandfather said it was more of an obsession."

Kirei's eyebrow twitched. "It was not an obsession." He said. "It was merely…well I suppose you could say I saw him as something of a kindred spirit. I wanted to know how he managed to live with himself…no that is inaccurate. I wanted to know how he was able to live in peace with himself…how he was able to be content despite such a…contradictory existence."

"Contradictory…?" Caren echoed. "What makes you say that?"

"Don't ask stupid questions." Kirei replied. "You know as well as I do that Kiritsugu Emiya was the dreaded Magus Killer. He was an assassin and borderline terrorist with the blood of hundreds if not thousands on his hands, especially if we count the number of civilians caught as collateral in his activities."

"As I recall he made use of methods that would have seen him tried as a war criminal were he a serving officer in any of the world's militaries." Caren remarked.

"And yet for all that he was able to have a…happy life with that wife and daughter of his by all accounts." Kirei said, beginning to pace and looking as though he wanted to pull at his hair. And then he froze, realizing what he just said, and who was listening.

Caren looked as calm and serene as ever. Kirei stared. Caren coughed. "I am aware that your duties as a…executor might have…distanced you from mother and I." she said. "Rest assured I do not hold you responsible. As an exorcist, I understand your position, and how you had to dedicate yourself to your duty to the Lord, even if it left you…deficient in other aspects of life."

"That is…comforting to hear." Kirei managed to say.

"You wonder then at how Kiritsugu Emiya was able to succeed where you failed."

Kirei fumbled, and Caren shrugged. "As I recall he ceased his activities after he gained a family." She said. "Granted he was in Einzbern's employ by then, which could have been a factor to his inactivity, however that inactivity could have been a factor as well with his contented lifestyle."

"I suppose that could be it." Kirei grudgingly conceded, and Caren raised a platinum-blonde eyebrow.

"And yet you still wish to have been able to question him in person."

"You inherited too many of my bad traits…" Kirei said acidly. "…including a sense of clarity, purpose, and articulation when it comes to seeking information…"

"I will take those as compliments." Caren said unfazed. "They are hardly bad traits per se, and owe as much to upbringing and training as to genetic inheritance."

"Humph…" Kirei snorted but said nothing more.

"I know that you were not able to speak with Kiritsugu Emiya during the war, though I heard you crossed blades at least once." Caren continued. "As enemies that would have been…difficult, but what about after?"

"Your grandfather forbade it." Kirei replied. "Apparently he believed that my appearance would unnecessarily aggravate the broken Magus Killer. For the sake of the man's peace, I was told to stay away. And so I did."

"Well now, I didn't know that."

"Well now you know."

"So I do."

Kirei felt an eyebrow twitch (again), and wondered why he felt as though he was talking to a younger, feminine mirror of himself. " _Well obviously she's my daughter…_ " he thought. " _…but shouldn't she be more like her mother based on appearance?_ "

"What will you do now, father?" Caren asked.

"Now that Kiritsugu Emiya is dead, you mean?" Kirei said. "I will do as I have my whole life: find my answers on my own."

"My assistance is yours, should you ever have need of it."

"I will hold you to that." Kirei said, and Caren smiled.

"Of course…" she said with a small bow. And then there was a cacophony of noise outside, and the priest and priestess went over to a window. They spotted a blonde boy with a white jacket over shorts and a printed shirt rushing into the inner court, followed by a group of four boys and a girl the same age as he was. They had a ball with them.

"Caren…"

"Yes…?"

"The Lord teaches us to let the children be as children." He said.

"I am aware."

"With that said…" Kirei continued. "…we as adults have a responsibility to look after them and to teach them in the proper way of things."

"I am aware of that as well."

"In that case I entrust you with…"

There was a sound of breaking glass from downstairs, followed by alarmed cried from the group of children below. Kirei clenched his jaw, and he closed his eyes as though praying for divine assistance in some matter or another. Caren coughed. "Should I take care of this?" she asked, and Kirei nodded curtly.

"Please do."

"Then I take my leave."

* * *

A/N

Shinji's still an ass, move along, move along…

Sakura bares her fangs as a magus, albeit in a non-benign fashion.

Kirei and Caren trolling each other…fun times…


	13. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I do not own the Fate franchise it belongs to Kinoko Nasu and Type-Moon.

Jewels and Crows

Chapter 12

"Kiritsugu Emiya is dead…?" one of the El-Melloi elders asked.

"It's been confirmed." Reines Archisorte El-Melloi replied. "Independently of course, though it was Lord El-Melloi II who first reported his demise."

"How did he die?"

"Apparently of natural causes…" Reines said with a shrug. "…he died in his sleep of all things."

"What a shame!" one elder said angrily. "A natural death is too good for that man! Ten years…no five…five more years to rebuild our losses from Lord Kayneth's death, and we could have given that man a death suitable for his crime!"

As agreeing shouts and words were hurled across the table, the ten year-old head of the El-Melloi faction sat at her place at the head of the table, looking completely bored while resting her head against an elbow. Eventually an elder noticed and directed their attention towards her. "Lady Reines…" one of them said. "…what do you intend to do about this situation?"

"Rather than getting all worked up about the past…" Reines said. "…we should direct our energies to the future. The past is the past. It is done. It is gone."

Reines paused, briefly closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. It was…paradoxical, that a magus like her would view the past as 'gone' considering magi were essentially backwards-looking, but this wasn't magic. This was politics. It was family politics to be sure, but still politics for all that.

"As you all know…" she continued. "…as per Lord Zelretch's…suggestion, Lord El-Melloi II has been cultivating the talents of the Magus Killer's son."

"Yes…" one elder said with a nod. "…we know of this. As I recall, at the time you expressed the opinion that we should simply kill the boy."

"A mistake on my part…" Reines graciously admitted. "…we might be playing along with whatever scheme Lord Zelretch is currently playing, but in hindsight I agree that going against his designs so openly would have been…unwise."

Agreeing nods and murmurs circulated across the table. "And it can also be said that all of his schemes redound not only to his, but to his…allies' benefit in the end." Reines pointed out again.

"With all due respect Lady Reines…" one elder began. "…are you suggesting that we bind the boy further to us?"

"He can be quite an asset with the proper…adjustment." Another elder spoke up in Reines' defence. "From what I understand it seems his quality and quantity of magic circuits are…average, but his aligned origin and affinity make up for it. And there is precedent for descendants of criminals and enemies atoning for their forebears' crimes with service. Usually they serve for life, but instances exist wherein they provide a particularly meritorious contribution that releases them from service _and_ simultaneously repays their debt in full."

"A carrot and a stick…?"

The elder shook his head. "As we cannot move against him without potentially upsetting some scheme in motion of the Second Magician, we cannot resort to such measures." He said. "However, he need not know the truth for him to atone for father's crimes."

Thoughtful murmurs echoed across the table. Reines nodded slowly. However others were not so agreeing. "If we do take in the Magus Killer's boy…" another elder pointed out. "…we risk drawing the attention and opposition of the other enemies of the Magus Killer. There is the Einzbern for one, and others more across Europe and the world."

"Let them come." Another elder expressed derisively. "We are the El-Melloi. We do not cower in the face of the enemy. You shame yourself, Jean Robert. And to think you were once a peer of Lord Kayneth Archibald El-Melloi…"

"What was that? Bastard, you dare…!"

"Calm yourselves…" Reines said, her voice soft but stern. "…Bergerac does have a point about us drawing the attention of the rest of the Magus Killer's enemies. With that said, perhaps we might be able to take advantage of that."

"What do you mean, Lady Reines?"

"Despite our best efforts…" Reines said. "…it cannot be denied that we have yet to fully recover from the damage inflicted upon us by Uncle Kayneth's death, and the destruction of his crest. Our alliance with the Barthomeloi in particular is strained: they respect strength, and only strength. And right now, we are a paper tiger."

"In other words…" one elder said. "…we draw the Magus Killer's enemies against us, and by destroying them we demonstrate our strength."

A thoughtful silence fell for several moments at that. At length, one elder began to shake his head. "It could work." She said. "But we have to be careful. We could overcome them, but exhaust ourselves in the process and be left even more of a paper tiger than before."

"Alternatively we could make a bluff." Another elder said. "We take him in, and make a show of doing so. Most of the Emiya's enemies will be subtle enough to wait and see first how things will go, but there will inevitably be a few idiots who'll probably charge in recklessly. We make an example of them, and then let slip Lord Zelretch's interest."

"Would other families even believe it?" another elder asked. "It wouldn't be too difficult to fabricate information and spread it as fact."

"Considering we'd be using Lord Zelretch's name…" the previous elder said. "…and past example of what happened when people just used his name without either or both his approval or actual involvement…"

He trailed off as fearful silence fell. A few centuries ago some families had in fact used Zelretch's name in such a fashion, and while the Second Magician hadn't actually taken offence he'd taken an 'interest'. The end result was a decades-long spiral of schemes and developments that led to entire fortunes being lost and reputations ruined. No one had actually died, but for the magi involved death might have been preferable.

As for what the Second Magician thought on the matter…?

 _They liked to play games, so I thought I might have some fun of my own._

Reines coughed, breaking the silence. "Yes well…" she said. "…that won't happen to us even if we 'let slip' Lord Zelretch's name, given he is involved in this."

"But still…" one elder began. "…to be reduced to making use of people like the Emiya boy…"

"What does it matter so long as we benefit from it?" another elder interrupted. "My concern would be how to bind the boy to us. A geis scroll is the normal means to do so, but I'd rather not resort to deception for the boy to sign one. Son of an enemy or not, deceiving children tends to leave a bad taste in the mouth."

"A geis scroll would be premature." Reines put in. "Also, the conditions of any such would have to be determined based on how…valuable Shirou Emiya ultimately is. There's not much point in getting him to work for us if we either overestimate or underestimate his abilities."

"Then…?"

"For the short-term I believe we should increase our interest in the boy's progress, especially considering that the boy will be coming to the Clock Tower over the following summer, in the wake of Kiritsugu Emiya's death." Reines said. "Apparently the only reason Lord El-Melloi II spent his summers teaching the boy in Japan was because Kiritsugu Emiya was aware of his upcoming demise, and would not waste what time he could spend with his boy."

"The short-term is all well and good…" the question was aired. "…but in the long-term?"

"It would depend on his talents." Reines said. "If he's only useful, we should bind him as a vassal of our family. If he's more than useful, well geis scrolls can be used in more than one way. I've plenty of cousins who spend their days wasting time in garden parties and drawing room visits."

"Lady Reines…!"

Reines didn't even blink at the protest. "A couple of reasons why we keep second-born around is so if there is a need to breed specific traits into future generations, there are spares at hand or if the heir is proven lacking or is slain one way or another." She said. "They are also useful to cement alliances with, whether by marrying the heir of another family or by being married off as hostages."

Reines tapped her fingers against the wood of the table. "With regard to breeding specific traits…" she said. "…the children resulting from the breeding program would then be sifted to find the most suitable one to be wed into the main lines, thus introducing the desired trait into the bloodline."

Again she paused, raking the elders with her eyes. Despite being only ten, she had quite the presence, as befitted her status as family head. "The boy has an aligned origin and elemental affinity." Reines said. "If it proves as useful or at least _valuable_ as our lore tells us – need I remind you all that a properly-nurtured aligned origin and affinity _always_ results in mysteries infinitely close to True Magic – then we will want to keep that."

"There's no guarantee though that it will be passed on to his descendants!"

"No, there isn't." Reines agreed. "But the mysteries born of his soul would be engraved in his crest, and crests are passed down a bloodline. And mysteries can be nurtured and grown over the generations, and even combined with others to create even more profound mysteries as the secrets of the World relate to each other, revealing more of the infinite vastness that is the Truth, the Origin of All Things."

Murmurs erupted across the table. Reines linked her fingers together and rested her chin on them. "And once the mysteries are profound enough…" she said. "…we or our descendants would want to claim them. And they should be able to, seeing as in this scenario the descendants of Shirou Emiya would also share our blood, and our descendants may claim his crest or link their bloodline to his."

"T-that's…" a protest hesitantly began, only to be cut off.

"This decision is still in the future." One elder said. "And it would only be _if_ the boy's talents and potential are worthy of us. If not then we'll just make use of him as much as we can."

He paused and leaned forward. "Think of it this way." He said. "Do we not avenge ourselves against Kiritsugu Emiya by making his son work to rebuild what he destroyed?"

"And if the boy or his descendants are to be of us…" another elder said. "…just as Hera demanded the Trojans forsake their name to become Latins in order to earn her forgiveness so too should we seek the boy's descendants to forsake the name Emiya to earn ours!"

"I second!"

"As do I…!"

"I will second!"

Agreement echoed around the table, and Reines drew herself up. "Moving on…" she said. "…given the circumstances between him and Emiya, the objectivity between Lord El-Melloi II may be called into question. Nevertheless we cannot disassociate him from this matter, lest we open a breach within our ranks, and risk word of…disunity spreading to our enemies and allies both."

"What do suggest then, lady Reines?"

"I will oversee this matter, and ensure the objectivity of Lord El-Melloi II."

Utter dead silence met her words. Reines smiled. "Now, now…" she said. "…I've known for a while now that you seek to test my abilities. This is a perfect opportunity. Should I fail of course I will accept full responsibility, regardless of any…excusable development."

Murmurs erupted and then nods began. "Very well…" one elder said reluctantly. "…as you say lady Reines, we would wish to better evaluate your leadership abilities and judgment. This is an opportunity for such, given both the scale of the Emiya matter as tempered by the boy's circumstances. Specifically, the boy is well a boy of your age. Balancing the delicate matter of the Magus Killer's legacy and the boy's own youth should present an appropriate challenge to test you with."

"With that said…" another elder pointed out. "…regular reports will have to be submitted for review, and of course no major decision outside of dire need may be passed without our consent."

"That is only proper." Reines agreed with a nod. "And in the case of dire need, any major decision made would be subject to review."

"Indeed…"

"I agree to those terms." Reines said. "Any dissent…?"

"None…"

"This development is satisfactory."

"I agree."

"As do I…"

"The terms will satisfy."

Reines nodded. "Very well…" she said. "…now that the matter of Shirou Emiya is determined – for now – let us proceed to our next agenda…"

* * *

"Just what are you plotting, Reines?" Lord Waver El-Melloi II asked.

"So suspicious…" Reines remarked, sitting on a couch in her brother's office, playing with her cat. And on Waver's desk were several sheets of paper bearing the dispatches from the El-Melloi Family Council. "…can't you simply believe I'm doing this out of the goodness of my heart?"

"Oh?" Waver said sarcastically. "Perhaps you should enlighten me why I should think that way. My commoner's mind lacks the wisdom to comprehend the full scope of your generosity."

Reines laughed. "My dear brother…" she said. "…sarcasm doesn't become you."

Waver rolled his eyes but didn't reply, electing to stay silent and resting his head against an elbow. "First…" Reines finally replied. "…I'm easing your burden solely looking out for the magical wellbeing of the Emiya boy. Between that and your teaching duties, things must be quite tiring for you."

"It is." Waver admitted. "But I can handle it."

"Maybe…" Reines agreed with a shrug. "…but as your sister I have an, ahem, _obligation_ to help you whenever I can."

"And I am truly gratified for it." Waver replied with another roll of his eyes. Reines grinned cheekily at him, causing a vein to start throbbing on a temple.

"You are welcome."

Waver mentally counted to ten. "Is that all?" he ground out. "Is that your only reason for involving yourself with Shirou Emiya?"

"Naturally not…" Reines said with a scoff. "…the real reason is because I'm curious. True the boy has an aligned origin and affinity, but apart from that he's just another magus. And of course he's the Magus Killer's son. That's not a good thing plenty are going to hate him for it. But even so…the Second Magician is interested in him."

"You intend to get something out of associating with him, aren't you?" Waver asked sourly. "Planning to marry him yourself, Reines?"

Reines nearly dropped her cat at that. Holding it in her arms, she glared stonily at her brother. "You must work some more on your humour dear brother. That last joke was in very poor taste."

"I'm sure it was." Waver replied.

"I have no intention of marrying a murderer's son." Reines sneered.

"We're all murderers." Waver said darkly, and Reines glanced at him only to flinch at the expression on his face and the hardness of his eyes. This was a side of her brother that she'd never seen before. And if she were honest, it scared her slightly, and increased her respect for the man more than a little bit. "Magi walk with death. And that doesn't include the shit I, no _we_ have to do both to keep magic secret, and to keep heretics from causing all hell to break loose."

"I know." Reines said. "But you know what I mean."

"Yes I do." Waver said. "And it's below you to sink to such lows as to blame a son for his father's crimes. It's understandable and even acceptable to an extent to have him atone for them, but to outright condemn him for them…you're better than that."

Reines made a disgusted sound and then coughed. "That sounds just like you." She said. "I don't like it but as usual you're right. It's as should be expected from Lord El-Melloi II."

"I'm flattered."

"Very well…" Reines conceded. "…I'll admit I'm holding too much of a grudge against Emiya. He must however atone for his father's crimes against our family. His talent and potential harnessed for our benefit will do just fine. Between that and the Second Magician's interest, I've given up on killing him, and look only to get the best from him."

Reines paused and glanced at her brother. "But…" she said. "…if he is to be a retainer or family, we need the best of him."

"Leave that to me."

Reines smiled thinly. "We're in this together brother." She said. "The elders have wanted to test my measure for some time now, and this is the opportunity to do it. And I don't intend to fail, just as you don't want to fail any of your students."

"What is a teacher if he cannot safeguard his students?" Waver replied. "In a way, a student and his or her teacher have similar obligations between them to that of parent and child. At least I like to think so. And so I'll fulfil those obligations. Consider it a case of professional pride."

"As a magus…?" Reines asked. "Or as a teacher…?"

"Who knows which is it?" Waver asked, turning his chair to look out the window. "Though, I'd like to think they're one and the same thing."

Reines smiled and nodded. "Fair enough…" she conceded. "…but talking of it as a matter of professional pride…"

"What of it?" Waver asked challengingly.

"No…" Reines said with a shake of her head and a knowing smile. "…I don't mean anything malicious about it. It's just that…"

"Just spit it out Reines."

Reines' smile widened. "That's so very much in character for our family, wouldn't you think so?" she asked.

Waver didn't answer at once. Eventually he looked over a shoulder with a neutral expression on his face. "And what a wonderful thing it is…" he said. "…isn't that right, little sister?"

Reines' smile widened further, and Waver turned away again.

* * *

"Fredericka Wilhelmina Victoria Alberta von Model…" a young woman read aloud as she stood in front of the desk. She was taller than some, dressed in a long-sleeved white blouse over dark brown trousers and black leather boots. A red cloak was draped over her shoulders, long dark hair spilling over her shoulders. "…what's the meaning of this?"

"That my dear student is your new name while you're working here." The vampire sitting behind the desk replied cheerfully.

A vein began to throb on Wilhelmina's temple. "I'm guessing I'm going to be sent on detached duty, aren't I?" she asked.

"Perceptive…" Zelretch said with a smile and a nod. "…you are correct. Here…"

He paused and pulled out a thickly-bundled file and handed it to her. "Take that to the financing committee, and that should handle the resources question while you're on detached duty." He said. "And if they have trouble with the requests tell them to direct their concerns to me, and that I'll know if they do otherwise."

Wilhelmina opened the file and glanced at the overview. Her eyes bulged. "Isn't this a bit much?" she asked.

"This detached duty will last a while." Zelretch replied. "Years in fact, and unless you want to walk up to the Tohsaka property and give a heart attack to your mother's counterpart, you're going to need that much. You won't have access to their resources after all."

"Don't I get a choice in this?" Wilhelmina asked.

"Don't ask stupid questions, von Model." Zelretch chided her. "You know the terms of the apprenticeship contract as well as I do."

"Why are you doing this?" Wilhelmina asked in a whisper. "Why do you mock me with what could have been?"

"Do you remember an argument we had a couple of years ago?" Zelretch asked. "You told me I had no right to judge you, and that I was just as indifferent as you were."

 _Don't talk as though you have the right to judge, master. Look at you: wizard marshal, conqueror of the Crimson Moon, Lord of the Second Magic, wielder of the power to travel between worlds…and yet for all your power, you are as indifferent as I was back then. Indifferent to the suffering of the world around you, just as I was indifferent to her suffering! What's the difference between us?_

Wilhelmina winced at that. "I…" she began hesitantly. "…I lost my temper, and for that I apologize. But I…!"

"You already apologized back then." Zelretch said gently.

"So why…?" Wilhelmina erupted, her voice and expression betraying her anguish. "Why go this far?"

"Do you really think I'm mocking you?" Zelretch asked her. "You're an intelligent woman, Wilhelmina. You know as well as I do why I'm 'indifferent' as you called it."

"Even if you did something…" Wilhelmina whispered, looking away with shame and bitterness. "…nothing will truly change. It will simply create a new reflection within the infinite realms of the Kaleidoscope."

"So you know…" Zelretch said with a nod. "…but I doubt if you truly understand. Knowing and understanding are two entirely different things after all."

"Master…"

"Did you know Wilhelmina?" Zelretch asked, leaning forward and resting his chin on his fingers. "Human beings can only truly understand what they experience."

"Yes, I know." Wilhelmina said sadly. "I know and _I understand_. That feeling of helplessness she must have felt for so many years…I felt it only for the briefest of moments before Shirou arrived, but it was enough. I understand how it must have felt, knowing that there was nothing I can do, and that nothing short of a miracle could have changed anything. And so it did. And so I understand that to understand something you must experience it, even if only for the briefest of moments."

"And even then…" Zelretch urged her.

"Yes." Wilhelmina said. "I could never truly understand all that she went through, something I will regret for the rest of my life."

Zelretch nodded. "So what do you want me to do?" Wilhelmina asked.

"I want you to apprentice Rin Tohsaka and her friends Hannah Kingsley and Louise Pickles." Zelretch replied.

"Pickles…?" Wilhelmina echoed deadpan.

"Yes, pickles." Zelretch replied, and Wilhelmina took a deep breath.

"Why?"

"I want you to understand how nothing truly changes…" Zelretch said. "…and one more lesson, though that is something you must learn on your own. Here's a hint though: you don't need to know to understand."

Wilhelmina blinked at that, and Zelretch rose to stand and look out of his office windows. "Going back to my earlier point…" he said. "…I wanted to have you learn in a…more conducive environment. And while you might not believe me, just this once I wanted to not be indifferent, and actually help a poor little girl condemned to hell by fate. Ah well, I am the Second Magician. I have touched the Root, so to hell with fate."

Zelretch smiled and glanced at Wilhelmina, who bowed low. "Thank you." She whispered.

"You are welcome." Zelretch said. "Again going back to my point, Zouken Matou has regained his full faculties. I offered him that, along with other bonuses that are neither here nor there, in exchange for his treating his granddaughter properly. There was a…possibility that he'd remain a distant mentor to her, though there was also a possibility he'd accept and love her as family. From what I know though their relationship is still along the lines of master and student, although they are fond of each other…for a given value of fondness. If any can be said to be truly family to her among the Matou, it would Kariya Matou. That is not surprising though: his relationship with either you or Sakura is a miraculously-rare constant within the domains of the Kaleidoscope."

"I see."

"However…" Zelretch said. "…Zouken was my student once. He has his flaws, and stupidity was never one of them, until his soul began to rot. That is past now, and with his tutelage Sakura Matou shall grow greater than most of her iterations. Indeed, at present she is more powerful than you were at her age."

"I'm not surprised." Wilhelmina remarked dryly. "In hindsight Kirei's training would barely be called 'proper training' at all."

"When the Fifth Holy Grail War begins…" Zelretch said. "…I can foresee that outside of the El-Melloi champion and the Association representative, Sakura Matou shall be the most powerful of the Masters active. Rin Tohsaka might be studying at the Clock Tower, but as an Oriental magus associated with lesser-ranking magi, she cannot truly match up to an apprentice of one of my fully-realized apprentices."

Zelretch paused and smiled. "Two reasons can be derived from this." He said. "The first is it would be no fun if Sakura just stomped Rin. And she will: if Sakura Matou has a flaw it's her obsession to prove herself your equal if not your better."

Wilhelmina snorted. "Sounds familiar…" she said. "…I thought she was treated properly?"

"She is." Zelretch said. "It's not that she hates you – well your counterpart – for getting better than she is, she just resents being thrown out of her family despite it giving her an opportunity to become a magus. Petty, but she's an adolescent girl. What did you expect?"

"Fair enough…" Wilhelmina grumbled. "…and as you said, her only real family is Uncle Kariya. Huh…wait a minute…earlier you said…my mother is alive?"

Zelretch smiled but did not answer. Wilhelmina visibly controlled herself. "And the second reason?" she ground out.

"If you're Rin Tohsaka's master…" Zelretch replied. "…then you have an excuse to mess with her business, don't you?"

"I'm not like you." Wilhelmina said at once. "Still…I suppose that's one way to watch the war, and of course…"

"You want to meet your mother again…" Zelretch said gently. "…and while you called it mockery earlier, you want to see your sister shine as she should have had fate been kinder."

Wilhelmina did not answer, and Zelretch chuckled. "The rest is up to you." He said. "And the same goes for whether or not you will reveal who you are and when you do it, understand Wilhelmina?"

"Yes, master." Wilhelmina said with a nod.

Zelretch nodded back. "Go…" he said. "…Rin Tohsaka will not be returning to the Clock Tower until summer next year in this world. You have one year to prepare, and we'll be returning to your world at seven this evening, understand?"

"Yes."

* * *

A/N

No points for guessing who 'Fredericka Wilhelmina Victoria Alberta von Model' really is.

Sakura won't be appearing for a while, as I'll be focusing on Rin and Shirou for a bit. Aoi and Kariya will also be making appearances.


	14. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I do not own the Fate franchise it belongs to Kinoko Nasu and Type-Moon.

Jewels and Crows

Chapter 13

"This is so unbelievable."

"I know, right?" Rin Tohsaka agreed. "What are the chances we'd actually get an opportunity to study under one of Lord Zelretch's apprentices? Well, tutored over the summer actually, but it's still more or less the same thing."

Hannah Kingsley giggled. The three twelve year-old girls made their way down the corridors of the Clock Tower's Department of General Fundamentals, from the administrative offices to their assigned study room for the summer. "Well," she said. "I think it's all because of you, Rin."

"What?"

"Your ancestor was supposed to be one of Lord Zelretch's apprentices, right?" Hannah pointed out. "Lord Zelretch must have noticed you being here in the Clock Tower, and decided to have one of his apprentices check how far his old apprentice's bloodline has gone. And from what I've read about the Lord Second, he's tough but fair. So while he's hiding his curiosity under the cover of a tutorial, he'll give something in return. And that's probably the other purpose behind this tutorial."

"Hmm," Rin hummed. "That makes sense. But that doesn't explain why you're included in the tutorial. It's not that I want to exclude you, but under your explanation, you wouldn't be part of this."

"Maybe we're here to keep you company?" Hannah offered. "Or the Lord Second is just being generous it's not unknown for him."

"Hmm, good point. What do you think Louise?"

Louise Pickles frowned briefly before giving a shrug. "Well," she said. "To be honest I was a bit suspicious at first. I mean, it's rather abrupt isn't it? And well, no offense Hannah but apart from Rin here we're all just average, dime-for-a-dozen magi. To be placed under the tutelage of a magician's apprentice, it just seems too good to be true. I mean, I know I'm probably being too paranoid, but…"

The girl trailed off, but Rin tilted her head questioningly as they went down a flight of stairs to a lower floor. The conversation was on hold until then, and then it started up again as they proceeded down a set of corridors to their study room. "Well that's basically it." Louise concluded lamely. "But in hindsight it was probably just paranoia."

"Yeah, I think so too." Hannah said. "Who'd be so stupid as to forge instructions and requests and other such things from a magician? And knowing the Lord Zelretch, any punishment for using his name inappropriately would be, creative."

"And at the end of which the culprit will be wishing he'd been punished normally." Rin said with a nod. "Forgery being what it is, the normal punishment is quite harsh. To think that one could end up wishing for it…"

Rin trailed off and then shook her head. "Well," she said. "We can be reasonably certain then that this is the real thing. As you said Hannah, Lord Zelretch probably wants to see how far my family's gone, and I don't intend to disappoint. And while he probably just included you out of generosity, it's an opportunity to show what you've got. Do you plan to disappoint?"

"Hell no…!" Hannah said with a laugh.

"Likewise…!" Louise said also with a laugh.

"That's what I thought." Rin said with a grin. "Let's give our best, and we'll probably get glowing recommendations out of it. I don't think we'll become Lord Zelretch's apprentices or anything of the sort, but a recommendation or a good word from him isn't something to pass up. And if nothing else, being able to prove my family is worthy of his teachings in the past is an obligation and a privilege."

"Big words," Hannah said. "Though, they are true."

Louise nodded her agreement, as did Rin. Falling silent, the three girls picked up the pace, passing their fellow magi until they reached their destination a few minutes later. Rin opened the big, wooden doors, and stepping inside saw the tutor waiting for them.

She was an otherwise nondescript, bespectacled young lady with dark hair dressed in simple if fine clothes. A red cloak was draped over her chair, from which she rose as they entered. "Good morning." She said, adjusting her glasses as she did so. Rin felt her grin turning into a grimace. She knew this woman, or rather had met her in, less than auspicious conditions years in the past.

 _I literally ran into her in the middle of the corridor and mouthed off. Talk about bad impressions, and now she's my tutor. Oh we're off to a good start, aren't we?_

"I am Fredericka Wilhelmina Victoria Alberta von Model." The tutor cheerfully introduced herself. "Please take a seat, students, and we can begin."

Wilhelmina smiled benignly. "It's been a while, hasn't it my distant relative?" she asked. Rin could only twitch in response, to the curious glances of her friends.

* * *

"Rin Tohsaka," Wilhelmina read aloud. "Forty A-rank magic circuits, and as an Average One you possess an affinity for all Five Elements. You also possess a crest, details unknown, but likely within normal parameters for a sixth-generation magus. No Sorcery Trait. The family specialization is in Jewel Magecraft, and while this has barely been touched upon in General Fundamentals, what has been gleaned indicates above-expectations proficiency for her age and level."

Rin preened at the praise, her friends shrugging indulgently. "Material Transmutation," Wilhelmina continued. "Elemental Magecraft, Flowing and Transference of Energy, Mental Interference, i.e. General Fundamentals, are also all above-average proficiency for her age and level."

Wilhelmina glanced at Rin and smiled. "Not bad at all," she said. "For your level, that is."

She then picked up another file, this one belonging to Hannah. "Hannah Kingsley," Wilhelmina read aloud. "Twenty-six B-rank magic circuits, and elemental affinities for Fire and Earth,"

Rin whistled in surprise and nodded with respect at her friend. Earth weren't the most common element, and having more than one elemental affinity wasn't common either. "A crest is present, details unknown, but likely within normal parameters for a fourth-generation magus. No Sorcery Trait. Family specialization is in Elemental Magecraft, individual application."

Wilhelmina paused and glanced at Hannah. "Overall performance in General Fundamentals is slightly-above average for her age group, but within standard expected performance for her lineage and level." She said. "Comments: higher-than-average proficiency in Elemental Magecraft, but indications noted of unorthodox tendencies towards interpretation and application of elemental theory. This is acceptable within context of family specialization, however."

Hannah shrugged, and Wilhelmina set aside her file and reached for Louise's. "Louise Pickles," she read aloud. "Twenty-one B-rank magic circuits, and Elemental Affinities for Water and Earth,"

Rin glanced at Louise who looked at her quizzically. Rin shook her head and sat back in her seat. "A crest is present, details unknown, but likely within normal parameters for a fourth-generation magus. No Sorcery Trait. Family specialization is in Alchemy."

Wilhelmina paused and glanced at Louise. "No offence," she said. "But if you specialize in Alchemy, shouldn't you be in Atlas? That's their yard, if you know what I mean."

Louise winced. "Grandfather," she began hesitantly. "Let's just say he has some history with Atlas, and we're um, not welcome I would say, until he passes."

"I see." Wilhelmina said with a slow nod. Coughing, she resumed reading the file summary. "Overall performance in General Fundamentals is within standard expected performance for her age, lineage and level. Comments: alchemy electives have been taken, and student is performing as expected. Recommendations pending for possible future transfer to Atlas, deferred until further evaluation."

Louise winced again, but didn't say anything. Wilhelmina set the file aside, and leaned back on her desk. "Now that we know each other," she said before grinning. "Or we will, as soon as I summarize my abilities. Now I won't tell you how many magic circuits I have, or how many generations back my lineage goes,"

Wilhelmina paused to snicker at the outraged expressions on her wards' faces. "I will tell you however that I am an Average One," she said, her smile growing as Rin's mouth fell open. "And as a Fifth-rank Magus and Master Zelretch's apprentice I can claim to be a master when it comes to General Fundamentals and an expert when it comes to Jewel Magecraft. I also have _some_ knowledge when it comes to alchemy, though I'll admit I wouldn't hold a candle to proper alchemists."

Wilhemina tilted her head. "You have a question, Rin?" she asked.

"Do you have a colour yet?"

Wilhelmina laughed and shook her head. "Sadly, no," she said. "But maybe someday I will. I'm aiming for Blue."

"Ambitious," Rin murmured, and Wilhelmina laughed.

"I'm a magus. Of course I'm ambitious." She said. "Can you tell me you don't want a colour yourself?"

"Red is my family colour," Rin softly said, partly to herself. "But that's the lowest of the primary colours. Blue is the highest, so…"

She trailed off as Wilhelmina and her friends laughed. "A worthy ambition," Wilhelmina said. "That is good, you should always aim high. But at the same time don't forget that you still have to work to get there. No great achievement has ever been achieved without equally-great effort."

"Yes."

Wilhelmina nodded. "Moving on," she said. "I wouldn't say I'm an expert, but I would say that my skills in mystic code crafting and bounded field creation are higher than those of an average magus so…"

She trailed off with a shrug. "Anyway," she said. "That's enough bragging. Now while I'll be assisting you in your magical education this summer, I won't actually be replacing your regular classes. On the contrary, when there aren't tutoring sessions to be attended, I expect you to attend any regular classes you would have at that time. Understood?"

"Yes."

"Good," Wilhelmina said with a nod. "As your tutor I will assist you in any difficulties you might have from your regular classes, and,"

She paused and winked at them. "I'll teach you some new things as well." she said with a grin. The grin grew wider at their excited expressions. "Some of them are things I came up with or learned normally, for a given value of normal mind, while others were taught to me by Master Zelretch. They'll all be a challenge for children like you, but those from my master especially so. Can you handle it?"

"YES!" the three girls loudly-replied and Wilhelmina laughed. Apparently they were stoked by being called children, not that she expected differently.

 _Was I also like this when I was younger? Somehow, I don't think so._

 _But then again, things are so different than they could have been._

 _It'd be stranger if she wasn't changed by them._

Wilhelmina sighed, and reaching behind her distributed folders to her wards. "Alright then," she said. "Shall we get started with today's session? Today will just be an assessment of your theoretical proficiency. While the Clock Tower's standardized evaluations make for a good baseline, I'd still like to judge by my own standards, the better to tailor my expectations and lessons to match."

She raised an arm and glanced at her wristwatch. "You have ninety minutes to finish." She said. "Begin."

At that, Rin and her friends fished out pens from their bags, opened their folders, and began to answer the impromptu examination.

* * *

"Well then," Wilhelmina said as she collected the examination papers. "That's all for today. I still have to check these after all, and what happens from here on will be based on them. You can go for the day, oh wait, Rin please stay behind for a bit. The rest of you, please wait outside."

The girls exchanged curious glances, but did as asked. Rin stayed behind, while Louise and Hannah went and waited outside, closing the door behind them. Rin waited in silence as Wilhelmina arranged her things, and then sitting on her desk, the older magus turned to the younger magus.

"I'll get straight to the point." She said. "This tutorial was arranged for your benefit, and your friends being here is well, unnecessary, and was it arranged by someone else, they'd probably have been excluded. But, my master has eccentric tendencies, and since your friends are the only company you have in the Clock Tower, he felt he should include them in this. With me so far…?"

Rin nodded, and Wilhelmina nodded back. "I do not know why my master arranged this tutorial, not really." Wilhelmina said. It wasn't a complete lie, she knew that it was to teach her – Wilhemina – a lesson, only she didn't know or understand the lesson yet. "But, knowing my master there shouldn't really be anything to be suspicious about. He can be vindictive yes, but he's a good person at heart. And I'm sure that he only has good intentions in mind for everyone involved in this."

Rin nodded again, and Wilhelmina smiled apologetically. "Now then," she said. "I have to say this: you are a prodigy. You are intelligent, motivated, and have exceedingly-high potential. I daresay you could even reach the ranks of the top hundred magi of this generation. However,"

Wilhelmina paused and Rin tilted her head questioningly. "No offense," Wilhemina said. "But your friends while worthy magi in their own way have potential and capability far below you."

Something seemed to shift in Rin's eyes, expression, and demeanour. Wilhelmina shook her head and raised her hand to pre-empt Rin's outrage on her friend's behalf. "Do not misunderstand." Wilhelmina said. "I am not belittling your friends. I was simply stating the facts. And even then I know quite well that despite what the facts say, things aren't always as set in stone as they seem."

Wilhelmina leaned forward with a mysterious smile. "Tell me," she said. "What's a miracle?"

Rin blinked. "Miracles are applications of prana," she said. "And by taking advantage of the rules of the World, achieve what mundane science would…"

She broke off as Wilhelmina shook her head. "No," Wilhelmina said. "That's the definition for Thaumaturgy. By understanding the rules of the World and through the application of prana, that which mundane science would bring forth through the application of resources and effort is brought forth instead as a miracle. Only, it's not really a miracle per se, is it?"

Rin blinked again. "Then," she said. "You're referring to a miracle in its truest sense? That is something which is not possible for either mundane science or magecraft? True Magic…?"

"There are five accepted forms of True Magic." Wilhelmina said. "But while the definition applies in a way, what I'm referring to does not fall under any of them."

"What?"

"I knew a person." Wilhelmina said. "No, I still know him. Just like me, he's a distant relative of yours too. Maybe someday I'll have you meet him and his family. He's a nice person, very dedicated to his family and considerate of others."

Rin listened in silence, and Wilhelmina laughed. "His potential is like your friends, average." She said. "No, it could be said that it's less than average, given how much of it was spoiled by defective training. But, that man defied a god, and saved a life that by all reason and logic backed by facts beyond all reasonable doubt should have been ended as the only solution to the crisis at hand."

As Rin looked on in shock and surprise, Wilhelmina shook her head. "If that isn't a miracle, I don't know what is." She said.

Wilhelmina smiled at Rin. "I suppose it's subjective," she said. "And I have to admit there's personal bias in it. But I'll have to ask you to take my word for it. And in any case, my point is that when people refuse to give up, then sometimes what's normally impossible can still turn out to be not so impossible after all."

Wilhelmina rose and began to gather her things. "Here's a less biased example though." She said. "Setting aside all the politics, Waver Velvet is neither an El-Melloi by blood nor does he have particularly high potential as a magus. And yet, he is Lord El-Melloi II is he not, and without a doubt one of the most brilliant magi of the age. Some even say he's the greatest instructor of the age. Or am I wrong?"

Rin shook her head after a moment's thought. "No." she said. "You're not wrong. I don't know about that friend of yours, but you're completely right about Lord El-Melloi II. And I understand."

"Do you now?"

"Yes." Rin said with a smile. "Just because my friends are average as magi, it doesn't necessarily follow that they'll only achieve the average. They can be just as good as me, if they put their minds to it."

"Oh, there's a bright girl!" Wilhelmina said with a laugh, and reaching out ruffled Rin's hair to her consternation. "It'll be rough going, but it's basically true. Well, so long as you understand that, then I have nothing to worry about. So if there's nothing more you're free to go for the day."

"Yes."

"Whether or not you share this conversation with those two is up to you." Wilhelmina said as an afterthought, as Rin took her things and made to leave. Rin nodded, and leaving left the older magus alone in the room. Wilhelmina sighed, and returned to gathering her things.

 _How quickly things move when we're young._

* * *

Lord Waver El-Melloi II was currently nursing a headache. And it was in the form and actions of one of his students, Shirou Emiya.

" _Hello, my name is Shirou Emiya. I am twelve years old. I have twenty-seven B-rank magic circuits, and while I don't have a crest or a Sorcery Trait, my origin and elemental affinity is 'sword'. I hope we can all get along together in this class."_

" _Stupid boy,_ " Waver thought uncharitably as he finished classes for the morning. " _Doesn't he realize the shitstorm that little introductory speech he gave is going to cause?_ "

Waver had already sent a familiar to inform Reines of the news, the mage lord already decided to let the younger magus handle it. Despite being closer to Shirou's age – though she was a year younger than he was – and thus any scolding from her would have less impact than one from Waver, it was ultimately her project.

 _While I do not appreciate the trouble this is going to cause, it's probably best to see how Reines plans to deal with the political bullshit before giving any reprimands or anything of the sort._

 _And it's not like I don't enjoy a bit of mischief myself._

"Shirou Emiya," Waver said after dismissing the rest of his class. He continued as the other students continued to file out. "Wait for me please. We'll be joining Reines Archisorte El-Melloi for lunch, so we might as well go together."

That brought a visible reaction from many students, and whispering immediately began. Shirou didn't look even a bit fazed however, and he just sat behind his desk, his things already gathered and waiting for him to leave.

Waver cleared the chalkboard, and gathering his things gestured for Shirou to accompany him. The boy rose to his feet, and taking his things ran after Waver to walk beside him to the El-Melloi quarter. As they walked, Waver quietly glanced at Shirou.

Noticing, the boy glanced back and cheerfully smiled at Waver. Waver sighed and shook his head. That smile was too, no not innocent, _honest_ for him to stay angry.

 _I suppose I'm at fault too to an extent. I should have told him to keep quiet about it, and I knew he was an honest kid._

 _Well, let's see how Reines handles this mess._

* * *

Lunch was a surprisingly-quiet affair.

Shirou had introduced himself, Reines did likewise, and then invited the boy and Waver to sit down and join her in a meal. It was a light lunch, just some club sandwiches with orange juice, but it was filling. Afterwards, Trimmau – formerly known as Volumen Hydragyrum – brought coffee and cake.

And then they got down to business.

"I see." Reines said. "You want to become a magus who can look back on his actions with pride. It's not an unworthy ambition. Each of us has obligations and expectations to live up to, and in so doing honour our lineages. For a first-generation magus to understand the underlying concept despite having no lineage as of yet, it is very impressive."

"Thank you my lady."

Reines smiled. "But," she said. "Surely that is not all you have in mind for the future?"

"Eh?"

Waver shot Shirou a disapproving glance though in hindsight he wasn't actually much better when he was Shirou's age. Reines though was younger than Kayneth, and more subtle. She could relate to the boy's inexperience to an extent, and could see that as might be expected from the Magus Killer's waif Shirou was uneducated in proper behaviour. So the faux pas was ignored: there'd be plenty of time to coach such social inadequacies in the future.

"Magical achievement is merely one aspect of success for a magus." Reines said. "I have already mentioned that magi obligations and expectations can ultimately be rooted in the idea of honouring our lineages."

"Yes, I remember."

Reines nodded. "In your case it's not a matter of honouring your lineage," she said. "It's laying down the foundation for it. Did you know? Finding a jewel in the desert is likelier than reaching the Root. And that is why while magi exert all they have to reach it, they also acknowledge that they may not, and because of this also do everything they can to ensure that succeeding generations have the same if not greater chances that they have."

Shirou nodded slowly. "You will also need to find a way not only to support your research, but also your own family." Reines continued. "You will also need to earn the respect and support of your peers. If you need help, then they can provide that help. If they are jealous or otherwise opposed to you, then respect can serve as a deterrent. You will need connections, friends and acquaintances. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I understand."

"I see." Reines said. "And do you have any idea how to go about it?"

"Well I uh," Shirou fumbled for a few moments before taking a deep breath, and adopting a determined expression. "I plan to study and work hard as a magus. And while my magic circuits are average, my origin and affinity are not. But even if they were average, I believe that someone who works hard and does everything the best they can, then they will get everything and more that they put into it."

"My brother's told me you're diligent and hardworking." Reines said with a glance at Waver. "It seems his confidence is well-based. But, what of the other concerns…?"

"Well, I'll need to get a decent job." Shirou said. "Though, that would have to wait until I've finished school and all."

Reines nodded her approval. "That is a logical train of thought for your character from what I've seen." She said. "Though if I might make a suggestion, you should take the business and economics electives offered here at the Clock Tower and perhaps at your mundane school back in Japan."

"There are things like that here?"

"Surprised…?"

"Well, yes." Shirou said uncomfortably. "It's just that, business and economics sound well, non-magical so…"

The boy trailed off worriedly, but Reines was merely nodding her agreement. "You make a good point." She said. "But, as I said magi need to be able to support their research and families. Money isn't everything, the old saying is true, but without money you wouldn't be able to do anything either. Or am I wrong?"

"No," Shirou said with a shake of her head. "You're right. Money isn't everything, but it's still something you need in life."

Reines nodded. "There's nothing wrong with getting a 'decent job', as you put it." She said. "But research materials aren't cheap, and neither is having a family. Having a stable and respectable occupation isn't something to be ashamed of, but you should aim higher. Do you understand?"

"Yes I understand." Shirou said with a nod. "But I think it's best to start small. And when your foundation is solid and stable, then you can build up, and grow bigger."

"Prudent," Reines agreed with a laugh. "But it's not wrong. Very well, since you understand that much let us move on. I did say you needed friends, acquaintances and connections, as part of the social and political obligations and expectations of magi."

"Yes I know."

Reines did not answer at once, tapping a finger slowly and rhythmically against her coffee cup's saucer. "What do you think?" she suddenly asked. "Would you like to be friends with me and my family? It's true that much of this is motivated by interest in your aligned origin and affinity but still, you will be getting much out of this as well."

Shirou hummed, scratching the back of his head. "Well," he eventually said. "I think you're a nice girl, but um, maybe we should start out as working friends or something like that. Um, at least until we know each other some more…"

Shirou trailed off uncomfortably, but Reines didn't look offended. If anything she looked amused. "You're honest." She said. "That's a good thing to have, though it can be a weakness too. But, you're also careful too, and unexpectedly so. Very well, I too think we should start out with a working relationship until we get to know each other some more. But I do not think either of us will be disappointed in how things go."

Shirou brightened up at that, and nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, I think so too."

* * *

"Well that was refreshing."

Waver glanced at Reines. "What do you mean by that?" he asked. Shirou had already left to attend his afternoon classes, leaving the El-Melloi siblings alone.

"All the boys I've met that are my age are superfluous prima donnas who always try to show off unnecessarily, and exaggerate their and their families' achievements to make themselves look better than they really are."

"Can you blame them?" Waver asked. "You are the head of the El-Melloi, an old and distinguished clan of magi that go back centuries, and one of the few clans who can claim more than distant association with the venerable Barthomeloi lineage. Your good word and especially your hand can be said to be worth more than a mountain of jewels."

"Flatterer," Reines said with a snort. She refilled her coffee cup. "That Emiya boy is clumsy and uneducated in proper behaviour, but for all that he has an unrefined charm that is rather endearing."

Waver sat and stared in silence. Reines took a sip and continued. "He'll need to take etiquette classes." She said. "It'll be an end to his ambitions if he grows older and lacks the skills to navigate in proper society."

"But…?" Waver prompted.

"We'll be interacting quite a bit in the future." Reines said with a glance at Waver. "At the very least he'll be retainer to the family. And at the most he'll be family."

"Yes, and?"

"It'll be a shame if he ends up just like those other idiots that pass for men among magi." Reines said with a shrug. "Present company exempted, of course."

"Well I am grateful for that." Waver said with a smile. "Not that I don't share your sentiments. For all their knowledge and power, too many male magi are soft milquetoasts who wouldn't last a minute when things get rough."

"Well you have the right to judge I suppose." Reines conceded. "You participated in the previous Heaven's Feel ritual did you not? For all the failure associated with it, battles between incarnated Heroic Spirits are what they are, and just standing by their side at those times is not something for the faint-hearted. Men like you among magi, are the exception rather than the rule."

"Flatterer," Waver said, picking up his coffee cup and taking a drink. "I wasn't all too different from the majority back then. But, the way things went, the things I learned…"

He trailed off, and sighing took a drink. "People grow up." Waver finished simply. "That's all I'll say on the matter."

"I see."

* * *

A/N

It's back!

No, Waver's not being OOC. He's canonically a crank, and Shirou pulling faux passes out of honesty is something that would set him off. And related to that, Shirou and Reines, Shirou's not stupid. Simple and honest, yes but he's not stupid. He'll give Reines a fair chance, but he'll try and get to know her some more before becoming friends with her. Pairing...? Maybe, I'm not sure about pairings here yet to be honest.

Q'fox: out of personal experience, nope. I was about that old when I cashed in the v-card.

Neogoki: there's a joke, albeit a lame one, in those names. I'll reveal it eventually.


	15. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I do not own the Fate franchise it belongs to Kinoko Nasu and Type-Moon.

Jewels and Crows

Chapter 14

"I see." Reines said with a troubled expression on her face. "The Emiya boy expressed his aligned origin and affinity in public. Was it out of honesty or ignorance? Though, that's largely academic by now. For all the importance we magi attach to secrecy, in this Clock Tower the gossip vine is deeply-rooted and has vines stretching into every nook and cranny. I wouldn't be surprised if word of the Emiya boy's talents will have reached the ears of all major families by evening tonight and across the Clock Tower by this time tomorrow."

"While I agree that having an aligned origin and affinity is equal if not superior even to Average Ones in terms of potential," Waver began, only to fall silent at a derisive glance from his sister.

"You're being very generous brother." She said. "Certainly having access to all Five Elements is a major advantage, and the applications thereof are certainly beyond most magi, but you forget that aligned origins and affinities, properly-nurtured are almost certain to achieve mysteries infinitely close to True Magic. Even the merit of being an Average Ones does not have that level of potential."

"True," Waver said with a nod. And then he narrowed his eyes. "And…? How does this affect your plans? The Second Magician's schemes aside, the only reason you're tolerating the boy and his adopted lineage is because of his potential. And now that potential is exposed. And magi will be magi. There will be others jealous of our…control, of the boy."

Waver's face twisted in disgust at the last, at referring to Shirou as a mere tool or asset. "I don't doubt some greedy magi will make a move to take custody of him, or something of that rot." He finished after a pause.

Reines didn't seem concerned, and took a drink of her coffee before leaning back in her chair. "Truly," she finally said. "The attention of other magi will be drawn. However we're not just some no-name, less-than-a-century-old family. Our lineage goes back centuries, and with it our knowledge and application of the World's mysteries. Furthermore, we're also among the few families that can be considered to have more than a passing association with the Barthomeloi."

"If you're done flattering our family," Waver said softly. "Get to the point please."

Reines laughed at that, and shook a finger at Waver. "Patience, dear brother," she said mockingly. "I'm getting to it. Because of all I've said earlier, no matter how greedy they are other magi have to walk lightly around us. They'll be curious, yes. They'll try to get close to the boy, yes. They _might_ try to influence him, yes. They might even try to subvert him, yes."

"But…?"

"But all of that is within _expected_ and even _normal_ behaviour for magi, or indeed among the high and noble families of our Mages Association." Reines said with a shrug. "Emiya will not be the first prodigy or particularly gifted exception taken into the family, be it as a retainer or married to one of our branches. Others have come before him, and others will come after him."

"In short," Waver said. "The family has experience dealing with such things, and it's not a truly alarming prospect."

"Precisely, my dear brother,"

Waver hummed unhappily and paced for a bit. "Try not to worry too much," Reines said before taking a sip of her coffee. She then held the cup out for Trimmau to refill. "As I said, no matter how greedy they become of the boy's potential, any magus family of note will have to be cautious and follow proper and appropriate lines of thought, word, and deed when dealing with the boy and our family."

Something about the way the statement was worded caught Waver's attention, and he made the connection in but a moment. His eyes widened and narrowed in quick succession. "You mentioned 'magus families of note'," Waver said. "But,"

"Oh? You saw it? As should be expected from Lord El-Melloi II…"

"You're using Shirou as bait!" Waver snarled and stomped over to Reines. "You're planning to draw out the other enemies of the late Magus Killer, and by making them into examples you'll show that despite my predecessor's demise, the El-Melloi is still a power to be dealt with."

"Even if we did not," Reines said. "The boy would still be a target. Even if knowledge of his potential was not revealed, he would still be a target. Even if he was not one under consideration by us, he would still be a target. It is an unfortunate inevitability of his name."

Reines glanced at Waver. "And had things been different," she said. "He might have been _our_ target." She finished.

Waver was silent for a moment. "Is that all?" he asked.

"No," Reines said. She took a drink and set her coffee cup and its saucer down on the table in front of her. "It's not like the boy will be a target immediately. Plenty of magi may seek vengeance on the Magus Killer through his son, but the boy is associated with us."

"And…?"

"It means a waiting game will be played." Reines said. "Whoever strikes at the boy will be striking at us by extension. In effect, they'll be burning their bridges behind them."

"Whoever strikes first," Waver said. "They will be the test case for those that follow. How much will we expend to defend the boy and what he offers? How formidable is he? How far has he progressed? All this and more will be answered in the first clashes."

"Indeed,"

"But that will only force those who come after to compensate for what they've discovered!" Waver angrily said. "They won't stop until the boy is dead, you know that! I know that you don't really care much for the boy, but your, _our_ family will expend much to defend him and develop him, and lose it all if he dies!"

"In other words," Reines said. "Why go this far, when all the investment will come to nothing in the end? True, but if that's the case shouldn't we cut him loose here and now before we invest too much?"

Waver choked at that, and Reines laughed softly. "Calm yourself brother," she said. "We're not so short-sighted that we hadn't considered that."

"Then what do you plan to do?" Waver demanded, and slammed his hands on the table. Reines' lips curled with displeasure, and she crossed her arms.

"As I said," Reines said. "The Magus Killer's enemies will not strike at once. They'll wait until one of them makes the step of challenging us by attacking one associated with us. That gives us – **you** – ample time to develop the boy's abilities. And after that,"

Reines paused and laughed. "The elders and I have already decided to leak word of Lord Zelretch's involvement in this matter afterwards." She said. "Given only fools among fools would dare forge such an association that should cause the rest to stand down. It would be just as foolish to oppose the Lord Second's schemes, if not more so. Many probably will even do so as early as now: we too have a debt of blood owed to us by Emiya. Together with our social rank and status, they will realize we have privilege to have the Magus Killer's son belong to us, one way or another."

"Why not just simply reveal the Lord Zelretch's involvement now, and spare us the coming trouble?

"Don't ask questions you already know the answer to."

Waver snorted in disgust. "If we do it now," he all but spat out. "Then we're just pawns to Lord Zelretch, highlighting the weakness we've fallen into after my predecessor's death. But if we delay leaking _that_ , then even if we're pawns, we'll still have shown that we still have significant power in our own right."

"Precisely," Reines said with a nod. "There's little shame in being caught up in the schemes of the Lord Second. Does an ant challenge the giant? Of course not! Also, so long as they are not the target of their wrath, the Lord Second's schemes tend to redound to the benefit of those involved one way or another. That too is well-known, and will further cushion our involvement in the matter."

Waver snorted again. "I don't like it." He said. "And while most would stand down in the aftermath, I'm willing to bet a few will persist."

"Then Emiya and we will just have to be careful." Reines said, reaching out to take her coffee cup and its saucer. "A few more examples afterwards will serve to drive the point home."

"I don't like it." Waver repeated, and Reines paused taking a drink.

"No one's asking you too." She said, and took a sip. "And to be honest, neither am I."

Waver raised an eyebrow, and Reines lowered her coffee. She stared down at her reflection in the dark fluid, and sighed. "After meeting that boy," she began but briefly hesitated afterwards. "Let's just say that it's a shame someone like him has to go through what's to come. Or for that matter, that he has to get involved in this shadowy world of ours. Someone as honest as him deserves a normal life free of shadows and regret. Truly, what a shame,"

"Do you really mean that?" Waver asked.

"Probably," Reines said. "Or it could just be me trying to talk big, just like you tend to at times brother."

She shrugged and smiled softly at him. Waver snorted, and then sighed before looking away wearily. "Whether or not you meant that," he said. "I still can't help but agree with what you said."

Reines laughed briefly and raised her coffee cup back to her lips.

* * *

Shirou entered his room in the Clock Tower dorms, and squinting at the afternoon light pouring through the windows walked towards them and pulled the curtains shut. Turning, he looked around his room.

He hadn't really taken a good look at it before, having rushed this morning while last night he'd been too tired after the long flight from Japan to do more than freshen up, brush his teeth, and unpack his things before going to sleep. And now with his classes done for the day, Shirou took advantage of his free time to have a look around.

It was fairly generic, even for magi. Wood-panelled floors, of some kind of wood Shirou didn't recognize, though he probably would if he looked at it in a different way. The walls were covered with ornately-patterned wallpaper in brown and white, and the room lights were as might be expected from magi gas-lit. A dial to control the gas flow was located on the wall near the door, right next to the switch that opened and closed the gas line.

Still, Shirou knew that because of his association with Waver, the room he had been given wasn't quite as basic as most students tended to have. He had a toilet and shower of his own for one thing, and that was probably unknown for most students, who'd probably have to share communal toilets.

The furniture in particular showed lavishness that stood in contrast to their generic surroundings. The bed sank lushly to a touch, and the wooden head and posts were intricately-carved. The desk and chair had bronze feet, and the same went for the wardrobe. Shirou even had a three-shelf bookcase though it was unlikely he'd ever put it to much use.

Shirou sighed and sat down on the bed, and fidgeted slightly. He was unused to this level of comfort, though he supposed it was inevitable, given Waver was a lord. By being associated with him, Shirou was treated to better accommodations than most others were.

Though, the idea of special treatment just because he knew someone important didn't sit well with Shirou. He could and should ask for a normal room. And as he thought about it for a bit, Shirou shook his head.

He should ask for a normal room. It was the right thing to do. Special treatment just for knowing someone important was wrong. But he couldn't.

Shirou sighed again, pulling off his shoes before rolling into bed. Placing his hands behind his head, he stared up at the ceiling. He knew that magi society placed more importance than there really was on wealth, lineage, and social class. His father had taught him that much, and Waver had confirmed it.

He hadn't really understood that until right now though, and it was the reason why he couldn't ask for a normal room despite his unease at special treatment: if he did, it'd probably cause all sorts of trouble for Waver. And he didn't want that. So despite his discomfort with the idea, Shirou knew he had to put up with it and accepted the room as his own.

As the golden light of the afternoon faded and shadowy fingers of evening crept along the walls and ceiling Shirou yawned. It had been a surprisingly-tiring day, he had to admit.

The lessons weren't all that hard, though Shirou had to admit being lost more than once during lectures, both by Waver and other instructors throughout the day. Apart from his spotty magical training, Shirou knew his even spottier understanding of English was to blame for that. Thankfully, Waver had booked him English classes along with other foreign students to help with that.

 _And it'll probably come in handy when regular school starts after summer._

He wished that his classmates could be friendlier though, as all they'd done was talk in whispers and murmurs around and behind him. They'd also shot him glances every so often, seemingly out of curiosity. Surprisingly, he saw and heard – from what he could understand – little animosity given what he'd been told of the Mages Association's general opinion of Orientals.

 _I'm not that unusual, am I?_

 _Or is it because I told them about my origin and affinity being aligned?_

…

…

…

 _That's, that's probably it._

That thought led to another, and Shirou grimaced in the dark. In hindsight, he probably shouldn't have talked about having an aligned origin and affinity. He remembered being told in passing about people like him being incredibly-rare by Waver, and given the way magecraft worked, he'd probably drawn attention, maybe even unwelcome one to both him and Waver.

Shirou yawned and rolled over to his side. He knew it was too early to sleep, and he probably should get dinner first. And he also needed to talk to Waver about earlier.

But the covers of his bed were too comfortable, warm and nest-like in the evening cold. Shirou felt his eyelids grow heavier and heavier, and with a last thought of how he needed to talk to Waver let sleep take him.

* * *

"Over there," Shirou heard someone say softly. "It's El-Melloi's newest recruit."

The Clock Tower had a cafeteria, several of them in fact, for every department. It also had cafes and serviced lounges, the latter usually catering to select groups: instructors, staff, even to cliques and factions.

That way, magi didn't have to leave the Clock Tower if they didn't want to but wanted to eat. Shirou sat in one such cafeteria in the Department of General Fundamentals, eating a breakfast of fish and mash. That the Clock Tower served such ordinary fare was welcome but surprising, but then again he supposed it wasn't like all magi were rich nobles and such.

"I wonder why he's eating here in the commons. You'd think as someone belonging to their faction he'd be eating in their reserved sections."

"Maybe he doesn't know. He's new after all. And besides he's from overseas isn't he?"

"Well I suppose you have a point there. Though, speaking of overseas, will the El-Melloi really pollute their bloodline with his blood?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Well, he's Japanese isn't he?"

"Yeah I heard that too. But come on, do you really think the El-Melloi would marry him even to a branch scion? No matter how gifted he or his family is, no matter what service he or they gave the El-Melloi, I doubt the El-Melloi would let Oriental mud – okay maybe a few steps above that but you get my point – taint their blood?"

"Ah, it looks like you're behind on the times. That boy there isn't just an Oriental, even a gifted one. He is, but even then he's not just some dime-for-a-dozen prodigy or Average One."

"Oh really…? Stop talking in circles and just spit it out. And prodigies or Averages Ones aren't dime-for-a-dozen."

"They are compared to him. I don't know what concept it is, but his origin and affinity are _aligned_."

There was a choking sound at that, and Shirou snorted at the realization that the rumour vine was heavy with and spreading with word about him. Though, it was surprising his name and the specifics of his gift weren't part of the rumour. Or, this rumour at least. Rumours did have a tendency to twist or lose parts of the truth.

"Are you serious? That's like, I don't know, so rare that it makes Average Ones look, well, common by comparison."

"See what I mean?"

There was a laugh. "Alright I see your point." The magus said. "But even then I don't see why the El-Melloi would introduce him into their bloodline. It's not like the aligned origin and affinity are inheritable like Sorcery Traits."

"No, but crests are. And if he has children with an El-Melloi woman, they'll get his crest and the mysteries inside and since they have El-Melloi blood they can marry into other branches and they can get his mysteries too."

"Huh, that, that actually makes sense. Sure sounds like what the El-Melloi would do too."

Shirou choked on his food. Marriage…? Him…? Waver's family…? For a moment Shirou had a mental image of him sitting in a park with a pretty blonde girl that looked suspiciously like Waver's sister…

Shirou shook his head clear. More importantly, he knew magi practiced breeding special or desired traits into their families in every generation. It was questionable and very possibly wrong – for instance you could be forced to marry or have children with someone you didn't like but you had no choice but to obey – but he'd never considered it in such a personal light before.

And from what he knew of the practice and the way the magi talked about it, it all sounded all too plausible.

 _Is that it? Is that really the only reason Waver had an interest in him? And did his father know?_

Shirou sat silent and unmoving for several moments, and then shook his head clear. No, that couldn't have been it. Oh it was probably a factor, but that probably wasn't all of it.

 _Could it have been dad's plan, to get me a powerful ally in the Clock Tower, so one day when I challenged the Einzbern for my sister, I can do it with more weight than I would have on my own?_

 _Dad..._

…

…

…

 _I, I need to talk with Waver about this._

Shirou sighed and resumed eating his breakfast. Nearby, the gossipers continued to talk about him.

"…we'll have to tread carefully around him then. No point in prickling a possible future member of the El-Melloi."

"Well, even if you say that, it's still just a possibility. I agree we should give an allowance to an Oriental like him on account of his connections and potential but,"

"He's not connected in general. Apparently the one who brought him here was the Lord El-Melloi II himself."

"What?"

"Are you serious?"

"No way,"

"Oh yes. And even if the Lord El-Melloi II does tend to run errands for that sister of his, those errands aren't just run-of-the-mill errands either."

"Well if you put it that way,"

"Tread carefully then?"

"Yeah we probably should."

"I hate to agree, but that's probably prudent."

"Hmm, hey isn't that?"

"What is she doing here?"

"Hey isn't she…?"

Shirou blinked and glanced in the direction of someone approaching. He blinked and he felt his lips part in a small gasp.

The girl was about his age, fair-skinned with bright blue eyes and sharp aristocratic features. Her hair was a rich blonde, elaborately curled, and her white-trimmed dress of blue was at once lavish yet elegant. She exuded an aura of confidence that bordered on arrogance, but her eyes and bearing were friendly, tempering her aura and lending her an air that drew eyes to her.

She was, yes, if Shirou were to describe this pretty blonde girl before him, he would describe her as a swan. Someone with nothing to prove, whose purity and nobility could be seen clear as Sunlight on a sunny spring day, and spreading her wings to fly achieve anything she set out to do.

"Hello," the girl softly said with a curtsy. Her voice was soft and smooth, like honey, and pleasing to hear. "And good morning, my name is Luviagelita Edelfelt. It's very nice to meet you."

"Um," Shirou fumbled. And then somewhat ungainly getting to his feet bowed to her surprise. "I'm Shirou Emiya. It's nice to meet you too."

Luviagelita blinked at the Japanese-style introduction, and masking her mouth behind an elegantly-raised hand laughed with amusement. "My, my," she said. "Such a gentleman you are. May I take a seat?"

"Oh yes, please do." Shirou hurriedly answered her question, and shakily helping her take a seat sat down in his own seat as well. "So um, Miss Edelfelt, can I help you?"

"Hmm…?" Luviagelita hummed with a tilt of her head. "To be honest I came to see the focus of the rumours going around the Clock Tower since yesterday evening."

"Oh."

Luviagelita smiled reassuringly. "Are you worried?" she asked. "Don't be. They're just rumours, and while people are free to see, think, and act on their preconceptions in the end all that matters is what we have achieved in our own names and with our own hands. What have you done? Where have you gone? Who have you become? What are those compared to the words of the malicious and the ignorant?"

Shirou nodded his agreement. "Yes, I agree." He said. "I don't plan to just be a great magus, I also plan to be a great magus who can look back without any regrets."

Luviagelita's smile briefly fell at that, and then it returned if with a slightly sad air. "I see." She said. "Normally I'd put words like those to empty bravado, but I'm a very good judge of character. And from what I can see, you're a very kind-hearted person, good and honest. Yes, the handsome appearance on the outside is matched by character within."

Shirou blushed and laughed nervously at being complimented by such a pretty girl. "T-thank you," he stammered out. "I, I think you're very nice and pretty too."

Luviagelita laughed again, again masking her mouth behind an elegantly-raised hand. "Oh please excuse me," she said afterwards. "Normally I'd consider such remarks as flattery, but you don't seem the type to give flattery are you?"

"No," Shirou said. "I really think you're nice and pretty."

Luviagelita smiled and briefly looked away. "Thank you," she said. "Well then Mister Emiya, it seems we've gotten off to a good start. Would you like to be friends from now on?"

"Friends…?" Shirou echoed.

"Yes," Luviagelita said with a nod. "My family doesn't have any conflicts with your sponsors, so I don't really see any difficulties coming from us being friends."

"I, well, yeah sure, in that case I'd like to be friends with you." Shirou said with a cough. "Though, if that's the case then please don't call me 'Mister Emiya', and just Shirou. The former makes me sound so old."

"Oh my," Luviagelita said with a laugh. It was a charming sound, like water splashing over rocks, Shirou reflected. "Well I suppose I cannot say I don't sympathize. Though if that's the case, then please call me Luvia. Only my parents and other elders call me Luviagelita. Is that alright?"

"Yes, Luvia…!"

Luvia smiled and rose to her feet, Shirou respectfully doing likewise. "Well then," she said. "I'll be taking my leave, Shero. I have something to attend to, and as I said I only came to satisfy my curiosity. And I certainly did and more."

Shirou nodded, letting the slight mispronunciation of his name go, and Luvia's smile grew ever so slightly wider. "Next time," she said. "I'll have you take lunch or supper with me, is that alright?"

Shirou nodded, and turning Luvia left, walking normally away but still drawing the eyes of the entire and suddenly-silent cafeteria to her. And as she left the large room, conversation hurriedly burst out, clearly focused on Luvia and Shirou.

Shirou didn't care. As he sat back down and finished his breakfast, he could only reflect on how lucky he was he'd managed to make a friend in such a pretty girl, and especially on something she said.

 _What have you done? Where have you gone? Who have you become? What are those compared to the words of the malicious and the ignorant?_

" _That's so true, Luvia._ " Shirou thought. " _People can think and say what they want, but what we do and what we've done will be worth so much more._ "

Shirou nodded, and placing his dirty plates and utensils on a tray took them over to a counter for dirty kitchenware. And then returning to his table, he retrieved his things, and left the cafeteria to begin his day.

* * *

A/N

Boy meets girl! This chapter was so hard to right, especially the first part, but Luvia and Shirou meeting and becoming friends was so worth the effort.

AznPuffyHair: let's just say that while I've no intention of returning the more nauseating aspects of the Nasuverse, it's still the Nasuverse.

Tobias97: the muses wished to update this story, and I don't argue with the muses.


	16. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: I do not own the Fate franchise it belongs to Kinoko Nasu and Type-Moon.

Jewels and Crows

Chapter 15

"What?" Lord Waver El-Melloi II responded to the report given by his aide. "Luviagelita Edelfelt approached Shirou Emiya earlier this morning? Are you certain? Details, no, run me through the essential facets quickly and concisely."

"Yes," the aide said. "According to what we've confirmed, Miss Edelfelt approached Mister Emiya in the General Fundamentals cafeteria earlier this morning. She didn't join him for breakfast, but apparently they introduced themselves to each other, and Miss Edelfelt had a brief conversation with Mister Emiya to ascertain his basic character."

"And…?"

"Apparently he impressed her enough that she openly offered the possibility of further association in the future." The aide said. "Furthermore, it seems she left with the promise of inviting Mister Emiya to either lunch or supper with her at some point in the future."

Waver sat back in his seat, and crossed his arms over his chest. He lowered his face in thought for a couple of minutes, and then with a sigh raised it again. "Well," he said. "Shirou's made a good impression. That much is a good thing."

"Yes," the aide said with a nod. "But, considering the Edelfelts' reputation…"

"There might be a contract in place against Shirou Emiya?" Waver interrupted, and the aide nodded. "I certainly can't deny the possibility. And while our information network is good, it's not infallible. But,"

"Sir?" the aide said, and Waver nodded slowly.

"The Edelfelt are mercenaries, not assassins." Waver said. "Even if they or rather Luviagelita has been contracted against Shirou, they'd do it openly. They wouldn't resort to a cheap trick like poisoning his meal or breaking hospitality after inviting him to partake of it. At least not here in the Clock Tower."

 _Mercenaries or not, the Edelfelt are still aristocrats. That pride of theirs won't let them commit something underhanded in this place._

 _Maybe on the battlefield yes, but not here, where they'd lose incredible face. Shirou is not just some gifted waif. He's a gifted waif with a connection –no matter how tenuous – to a powerful family._

 _To do so would tarnish their pride. Humph, maybe aristocratic arrogance can be of use after all._

"Whether or not there is a contract against Shirou," Waver said. "I'm willing to bet that Luviagelita is sounding him out one way or another. Trying to politely or subtly gain insights into a fellow magus' mysteries is always a given in this competitive society of ours, and considering Shirou's connection to us, they could also be sounding out his character even at this point for future reference."

Waver narrowed his eyes. "And of course, there's also his magical potential." He said. "It's also a given that it'd interest other ambitious and powerful magus families."

 _Apart from the Barthomeloi that is, seeing as their Sorcery Trait makes jokes of varying amusement to all but the most powerful magecraft in this Age of Man of ours._

Waver sighed. "Honestly," he complained. "It's barely been a day and I'm already getting a headache. Two weeks, it usually takes two weeks for rumours like this to fade, but if today is any indication it's going to be a long two weeks."

 _Hopefully by then the sheep will get bored and turn their attention to other matters, and simply accept the fact that Shirou is with the El-Melloi. Also hopefully most of Kiritsugu Emiya's enemies will accept El-Melloi's 'custody' of Shirou in 'atonement' for my predecessor's demise and the loss that it came with, just as Reines predicted._

 _Though, there will probably be some idiots left, most troublesome in the latter case. What a pain…_

Waver sighed again. "Well," he said. "Potential conspiracies aside, Shirou getting connections with a family we're not hostile or in direct rivalry with isn't a bad thing. It'll raise his profile ever so slightly with the old men at least and probably with Reines too."

He turned back to his aide. "In any case," he said. "We can't afford to act rashly or in any reactionary fashion. The Edelfelt is an old and distinguished lineage in its own right, and must be shown the appropriate respect. And Luviagelita is no branch member or second-born. She is their heiress. Do you understand?"

"Yes." The aide said with a bow. "It is as you say my lord."

"Keep an eye on things." Waver ordered. "It's the best we can do until we know more about the developing situation. And we'll need to know as much as possible to make the correct decisions for our side."

The aide bowed, but Waver didn't dismiss him yet. Instead the mage-lord spent a few moments considering circumstances further and then gave a nod.

"Also pass the following on to our information branch," he said. "When keeping track of Luviagelita or her activities and those of their allies and agents relative to our activities and interests, do try to impress or at least amuse the Edelfelt. Failure to show appropriate professionalism will result in necessary and appropriate sanctions."

"Yes sir."

Waver made a gesture of dismissal, and the aide bowed before departing. Waver waited until the man had left the room, and then with a weary sigh got up and walked over to look out of his office windows. "Things are moving quickly." He said at length. "It's probably best to air out the closet before it gets too crowded."

* * *

"Wow," Shirou said as he popped a slice of steak into his mouth that evening. "I've never had steak before, so I didn't think it'd be this good."

Waver laughed indulgently. "I figured you might say something like that." He said. "Well, eat your fill. I haven't eaten here in a while, and I have some money to burn so you might as well enjoy this."

Shirou blinked, and then politely finished chewing and swallowing his mouthful before speaking. "But," he said. "Can you really afford to spend this much? I mean this place doesn't look cheap, and isn't treating your student, I don't know, wrong for a teacher?"

Waver laughed again. "Don't sweat it." He said. "Money's not a problem for me. Oh it'll be a problem if I spend too much I do have research requirements to fund out of my pocket after all, but just this much every once in a while is fine. And as for being a teacher, well, as far as magical society is concerned, I'm your legal guardian."

"Well, yeah there's that…"

"Don't worry, don't worry," Waver pressed. "Even without that loophole, it's not like anyone can really call me out for something like this. The Clock Tower is sadly a spider's web of intrigue and shit like that, and airing out dirty laundry like how this could be spun isn't something done lightly. It only takes a single pebble to start an avalanche after all, and with few exceptions no one can be sure they won't get buried by it if they start something."

Waver paused, swirling the wine in his wineglass before taking a drink. "And those few exceptions wouldn't find something like this worth the bother." He said.

"I see." Shirou said, and Waver shrugged.

"Well, you're just a kid whether you like it or not." He said. As Shirou looked up peevishly at being called a kid, Waver winked at him. "Kids grow up by exploiting adults, so just enjoy your dinner. I did the same when I was your age, and look at where I am now. There's no problems with that is there?"

"No I guess not." Shirou admitted before brightening up. "Well then, thank you for the meal."

Waver nodded as Shirou dug in enthusiastically into his meal. Taking another sip of his wine, Waver took the opportunity to take a look around. Wilson's Texan Steakhouse looked pretty much as it always had, playing on American stereotypes, from the western saloon-like décor to the cowboy costumes worn by the staff. And as usual, it was packed full of customers.

 _What was that a Pope once said about bringing back certain obscure Lenten rites? It will amuse the English? Well I don't know about those, but the English are certainly amused by colonial stereotypes, even if the Americans haven't been colonials in over three centuries._

Laughing silently at his countrymen's – though he had to admit he was amused too – idiosyncrasy, Waver took another drink of his wine. Shirou looked up, finished chewing, swallowed, and then spoke. "Hey Waver," he said, briefly stumbling over missing the honorific. "Is something wrong with your order? You've barely touched it."

"Hmm…?" Waver murmured. "No, it's not that. I'm just thinking about a few things that's all."

"Is that so?" Shirou said before grinning. "Well if you're not going to eat it then…"

"Hey, keep your sticky paws off my food." Waver said with an amused air. "It's mine."

Shirou laughed at that, and Waver gave an amused smile. He'd have found it amusing too if it weren't for the fact that treating Shirou out for dinner was essentially meant to soften the blow of what he had to tell the boy afterwards.

 _No one wants to think or hear badly of their parents, least of all from others. Kiritsugu Emiya should be the one to tell this to his son, and not me or anyone else._

 _But, there's no point in judging the dead, so the task falls to me instead. And better from me early on than from someone else with less-than-benevolent designs later on. All I can do is soldier on and hope for the best I suppose._

* * *

"That was very good wasn't it?" Waver said, as he walked with Shirou away from the steakhouse and back to the Clock Tower.

"Yes!" Shirou said cheerfully. "It was very delicious!"

Waver smiled indulgently, and the two walked in silence for several moments. And then Shirou sighed. "And…?" he asked. "You wanted to talk to me about something didn't you?"

Waver glanced at Shirou curiously. "What makes you say that?" he asked.

"I don't know." Shirou answered softly. "Instinct, I guess."

Waver sighed, and he briefly looked up at the sky. "You've got good sense." He said. "There's a park a few blocks away. Let's talk there, the quiet will be good."

Shirou nodded, and he followed Waver silently to the park in question. Making their way down the lamp-lit paths past towering and stately elms, maples, and other trees, they arrived at a small bridge hanging over a stream tricking its way through the park. Still silent, Waver leaned against the railings, looking down at the water below and the rippling reflection of the sickle Moon above.

After a while, Shirou spoke up. "You know," he began. "I wanted to talk to you about something."

"Oh?"

"I overheard some boys talking earlier today, you see." Shirou said. "They mentioned how I'm only sponsored by your family because they're after what I've got. Or rather, what I can make with what I have."

Waver glanced over a shoulder at Shirou, whose face was carefully blank. His eyes though, there was turmoil. Curiosity, apprehension, anxiety, betrayal, hope: so many emotions conflicting with each other.

 _I can't blame him._

 _From what he's heard, he's just being used. And the worst part is that it's true, or at least partly so. Just like all good lies, there's a grain of truth beneath it all._

"If I marry into your family," Shirou continued. "Then my crest – if I ever got one – can be inherited by one of your family's main members, and with it, everything I could have done with what I have."

Waver sighed. "It's true to an extent." He said, looking back out over the water. "Though, it's only a possibility being considered at present. There's still an equal chance you'll remain an El-Melloi affiliate."

Shirou was silent for several moments. "Is that all?" he finally asked in a whisper.

"On principle," Waver answered in a moment. "I disagree."

Shirou blinked, and Waver turned to face him, leaning back against the railings. "There's no point in blaming a child for his parents' sins, much less one who wasn't even his child when that sin was committed." He said.

Shirou blinked again. "What?" he asked, and Waver sighed.

"I can't go against my family." He said unhappily, and reached up to scratch irritably at his head. "All I can do is lessen the burden, cool their tempers, and make them actually use their heads. And in the end, I still needed to Zelretch's help to achieve this much. Root knows what might have happened otherwise."

Shirou gaped slightly at Waver, who sighed again. "Your father should be the one telling you this." He said. "But I have to do it. You need to hear this, before it festers and starts to rot. But before that I have to ask: do you trust me?"

Shirou didn't answer at once. Instead he stared into Waver's eyes, golden irises meeting green ones, one trying to see if he could trust as he always had, and the other trying to show that he could. And then Shirou smiled and nodded.

"Yes," he said. "I trust you."

"And the reasoning…?" Waver asked.

"I want to trust you." Shirou said firmly. "Back then, you taught me how to properly use magic, and stopped me from slowly killing myself. You taught me magic, fixed my mistakes, and supported my ideal about magic."

 _A magus who can look back without regret? Difficult, almost impossible, at least in general, but it can be done. People will always have regrets after all. But, it's certainly possible for you to say that as a magus, everything you've learned, and everything you've done and made, is something you gained with honest effort._

 _Then, yes, I think you can look back without any regrets._

Shirou smiled wider at the memory, and briefly closing his eyes shook his head. He then looked back at Waver. "And," Shirou said. "Dad trusted you."

Waver was silent, and Shirou continued. "I know I can be too trusting." He said. "But I'm not stupid. I'm a magus too. And, dad said some strange things before…before he left. So I think I understand. He did things he regretted, and I saw that much even back then."

Shirou's smile faded. "Dad," he said after a pause. "Dad trusted you. And I know dad wouldn't have trusted you if you couldn't be trusted. So I'll trust you, and thank you for telling me, well, whatever you're going to tell me."

Waver stayed silent for several more moments, and then he sighed. Smiling wearily, he nodded at Shirou. "Thank you." He said. "And I agree that you're too trusting especially given how so many magi are. But, it's not a bad thing to be, so long as you keep your wits. And as you said, you're not stupid."

Shirou smiled and bowed, and Waver sighed again. "Then," he said. "I'll say as it is: Kiritsugu Emiya, your father, was an assassin."

Shirou's eyes went wide. "W-what…?" he stammered out in shock.

"Well, only in general terms," Waver clarified. "He didn't kill for money, though if there was a bounty or it was an official job from magical authorities such as the Association, he collected payment. He didn't kill because he enjoyed it either. No, he killed because the ones that he killed needed to die."

"No, No, NO!" Shirou exploded, shaking his head in denial. "That's not…people needing to die…dad wouldn't do something like that! He wouldn't kill people! He wanted to help them! That's what heroes do! And he wanted to be a hero of justice! Where's the justice in killing them?"

"Ah, so he told you about his dream I see." Waver said sadly. "But he never told you about the Path of Least Bloodshed, did he? Or for that matter: Alimango Island."

"What?"

"The path of least bloodshed was something Kiritsugu told me himself." Waver said sadly. "At the time, we were talking about the past, just reminiscing as adults and old people tend to do. In contrast, my laments at how I've become in many ways just like my predecessor were nothing compared to Kiritsugu's laments."

"W-what do you mean?"

"One life to save ten," Waver said. "Ten to save a hundred, a hundred to save a thousand, a thousand to save ten thousand, and so on: that is the Path of Least Bloodshed. In other words, Kiritsugu did what he had to do to make the best for as many people at the least possible expense."

Shirou's face was a mask of horror. But he couldn't say anything. He couldn't, not when his father's words ghosted through his head.

 _For everyone I saved, there were so many others I couldn't save._

Waver sighed. "And he succeeded to an extent." He said. "Dead Apostles who didn't answer to an ancestor, heretics who studied mysteries that would rend the fabric of the world asunder, or who experimented and killed hundreds if not thousands of people for the sake of advancing their research. Magi are an amoral lot, but even we have limits, lines that cannot and should not be crossed. And when one or more are crossed, and where Enforcers and Executors might have failed, Kiritsugu succeeded. So much so in fact, that he became known as the Magus Killer."

"He fused magic and technology, you see." Waver said with a small laugh. "He was a spell-caster, using magic to supplement technology's shortcomings, and vice-versa for magic. And that was the key to his success. Magi have difficulty using much less understanding technology. He exploited that weakness, and walked his path."

Shirou swallowed dryly. "What…I mean…what changed things? And what happened on Alimango Island?" he asked.

"In order," Waver said. "He was asked a question."

"A question…?"

"Yes." Waver said with a nod. "There are two ships. Both are sinking. Only Kiritsugu can stop them from sinking, but there is only enough time to fix one ship. One ship has 100 people aboard, and the other has 101. And Kiritsugu is on the ship with 100 people, and they want him to fix their ship. Keeping in mind the Path of Least Bloodshed, what would he do?"

"No…" Shirou whispered.

"Yes." Waver said glumly. "He would kill 100 people, and then swim to the other ship to fix it."

Shirou staggered back, shaking his head in denial. "No," he said. "Dad…that's not…you can't…that's not…"

"But the question isn't finished." Waver said, beginning to pace. "There was only enough time to fix one ship. As a result, by the time Kiritsugu gets to the other ship, it's already too late. But the people are still alive. They escaped on two boats. One has 50 people aboard, while the other has 51. Both are also sinking. Again, Kiritsugu can save them, but he only has enough time to get to one boat, and fix it. What would he do?"

"He wouldn't…"

"Yes," Waver said glumly. "He would leave the boat with 50 people to sink and its passengers to die. But,"

Waver narrowed his eyes. "How many people were saved in the end, and how many died?" he asked.

Shirou didn't answer, collapsing to his knees at the horrifying truth. "Kiritsugu ultimately realized," Waver said. "That in the end, he hadn't changed anything. Not really, in the end he was no different from the rest of us. After all, what's a hero if he can't save people without killing others in the process? His dream was dead, drowned in the blood of thousands, if not more."

Shirou sniffed, and wiped at his eyes. "W-what happened…on Alimango Island…" he asked.

"It was a tropical island that he grew up on." Waver said. "His father – your grandfather – was a heretic who sought to become a Dead Apostle to avoid dying and thus continue his research. As a result of his experiments, everyone on that island, including your father's childhood friend Shirley, was turned into a monster and had to be killed."

"Oh dad…"

Shirou was crying now, at how far his father had fallen. No wonder he'd seemed so…sad, all the time. He'd wasted his entire life, trying to make his dream come true only to realize in the end that he'd killed it with his own hands. Worse, his family, his wife and daughter, they were taken from him. The former taken by death, and the latter taken by his spiteful in-laws.

 _How can you call yourself one if you can't save everyone? What's the point in saving someone, at the cost of not saving others? I'm not saying it's wrong, saving people that is, but the dream…the dream…I woke up._

"In the end," Waver continued. "Kiritsugu killed his own father, though it was too late by then. He told me, he told me that if he hadn't been a coward, he might have stopped things from coming so far as it did. He never told me the details behind that, but I guess, he probably meant that if he had killed his father earlier, Shirley, and everyone else he grew up with, would have lived."

Waver sighed, and shook his head. "I'd also guess," he said. "That was when he came up with the Path of Least Bloodshed. Someone has to die, so that others don't."

Shirou was quietly crying by now, and after a few moments of silence Waver knelt down. Shirou looked away, but Waver placed a hand on his shoulder. "There's no shame in crying." He said. "If you want to mourn, to pity your father, then do so. Few would. Most would find him pathetic. But I don't, because you know what? He did manage to save someone, without spilling blood. He became a hero for that one person, and lived to see that person smile."

Shirou sniffled for several more moments, before tearfully-looking at Waver. He smiled at the young boy, and squeezed Shirou's shoulder reassuringly. "He saved you from that fire." Waver said. "And he didn't kill anyone to do it. He raised you, gave you a new life, a chance to have dreams of your own, and make them come true."

 _Sometimes justice is better served by knowing when to look away. You do everything you can, and when it isn't enough, all you can do is hope that someday, somehow, someone who can do better than you will come and set things right._

Waver's smile turned wry as the sniffling Shirou tried to bring himself under control, and wiped at his eyes. Waver reached into a pocket and offered a handkerchief to Shirou. He waited until Shirou had calmed down, and helped the grieving boy to his feet. "Sorry," Shirou murmured.

"What for…?"

Shirou stayed silent, and Waver sighed. "I told you don't there's no shame in crying for your father." He said. "It's only right to mourn for your parent, not just at his death, but at everything he lost until he found you."

Shirou nodded in silence, and glancing at him Waver sighed again. "Come on," he said. "Let's go back. We can finish this talk tomorrow. You've had enough for tonight."

Shirou just nodded again, and let Waver walk him back to the Clock Tower, and thence to his dorms. More than a few people along the way looked surprised if not a little curious at the sight of the Lord El-Melloi II guiding a listless-looking boy to the dorms, but a single look at the expression on the lord's face kept their tongues.

"I'll be fine from here." Shirou said as he and Waver entered his room.

"Are you sure?" Waver asked, and Shirou nodded slowly.

"I-I need to, I need to think." The boy said. "I need to think about everything you've said."

"I see." Waver said. He hesitated briefly, and then with a nod made to leave. He looked back briefly before closing the door, at the boy standing silent and grievously in thought in the middle of the room. And then with a sigh he closed the door.

Waver stood silent outside the dorm room for a few moments, and then feeling the eyes behind him and hearing the whispers whirled in anger. "Anyone who talks shit about what happened just now will find themselves on cleaning duty for the next six months for starters!" He ominously growled.

At that the onlookers and rumourmongers dispersed, unwilling to provoke an angry Lord El-Melloi II. Some of them probably had connections or sponsors of their own, but in this case it was probably best to just let sleeping dogs lie, and let the El-Melloi deal with what was probably an internal issue.

Still, Waver knew there would be boneheads he'd have knock some sense into over the next few weeks. Some things were not meant to be fed to the rumour mill, and if he had to he'd bend all the power and influence at his disposal to keep it that way.

With a sigh he made to leave, only to pause and glance over a shoulder as he felt and heard Shirou's door open ever so slightly. The boy could be seen peeking through the crack, and after a moment's hesitation he spoke up.

" _Waver-nii,_ " he said, speaking in Japanese. " _Thank you, for telling the truth and for standing up for me._ "

Waver stared for a moment, and then he sighed. "You're welcome." He said with a nod. "Good night, Shirou."

Shirou hesitated, and then with a nod closed the door. Waver stared for a moment, and with another sigh left.

 _Well, that could have gone better._

* * *

A/N

Now before you start flaming me for turning Shirou into a cry-baby, don't forget that he's only 12 years old at this point. Furthermore, it's barely been a year since Kiritsugu died. Having lost a grandparent recently, I can say based on personal experience that a year is barely enough time to get over lost family. And I have plenty of family to cushion me. Shirou almost has _none_. What's more, his life revolved around Kiritsugu, and between the short time since Kiritsugu's passing, his skeletons being pulled out of the closet, and Shirou's own youth I'd say it's fairly reasonable for Shirou to have a small breakdown.

On a happier note, I have decided on a pairing, though I probably won't reveal it for a few more chapters at least.

Finally, some people seem to be labouring under the impression that they have the right to dictate what and how I write, and that, to quote "...you're playing in Nasu's playground. You play by his rules, or you don't at all. The plot should follow the setting, not the other way around." In other words, I shouldn't make use of creative license or play with AUs and nails simply because it offends their Lore Nazi sensibilities. Well, this is **FANFICTION**. Creative license is its soul, and so long as Suspension of Disbelief can be maintained then I am free to play with nails and write the results as I see fit. You don't like it, get out. You know where the figurative doors are, and I certainly hope they hit you on the way out. Be thankful I decided not to drop names.

We only want **CONSTRUCTIVE** criticism and suggestions here. Dictation will be thrown where it belongs: the trash.


	17. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: I do not own the Fate franchise it belongs to Kinoko Nasu and Type-Moon.

Jewels and Crows

Chapter 16

 _Sometime justice is better served by knowing when to look away. You do everything you can, and when it isn't enough, all you can do is hope that someday, somehow, someone who can do better than you will come and set things right._

Shirou Emiya pulled on his shirt, did the buttons, and picking up his comb began to fix his hair. Sleep hadn't come to him easily during the previous night, the truths of his father's past bugging him well into the morning before weariness had finally taken its toll. And even then, sleep hadn't brought rest, only half-remembered fragments of dreams of his father killing people.

Needless to say, Shirou hadn't had much rest when he finally woke up and taken a cold shower.

… _Kiritsugu Emiya, your father, was an assassin._

 _One life to save ten, ten to save a hundred, a hundred to save a thousand, a thousand to save ten thousand, and so on: that is the Path of Least Bloodshed. In other words, Kiritsugu did what he had to do to make the best for as many people at the least possible expense._

Shirou sighed, putting the comb down. For a while he stood there in front of his sink and mirror, but after a while he left and sat down on his bed. A part of him blamed Waver for telling him about this, for destroying what he'd always seen his father as, but Shirou knew it was stupid.

Waver wasn't the only lord or well-connected magus out there. Granted, he'd learned much of what he said from talking with Shirou's father, but Waver had also mentioned that Kiritsugu had had dealings with the Association in the past. With some digging other people out there could find out what Waver knew and had shared with Shirou, and use it against him.

It was better for Shirou to find out early on, and from someone he trusted and with his best interests in mind. Contrast that to keeping things secret, and eventually someone trying to get at him exposing the truth in the worst possible light.

No, Shirou's wouldn't blame Waver. He would talk to Waver about it though, as in hindsight Shirou realized that his other worry, about only being useful to Waver's family as someone to be married to in order to get at his mysteries, had been lost in the turmoil of his father's past. It was understandable, but still: it had to be addressed.

With that said, Shirou had a feeling it was connected to his father's past. And he also had a feeling he already knew why.

With a sigh, Shirou began pulling on some socks. At the same time, he remembered something else his father had told him before he'd left for good.

 _When I was a child I dreamed of becoming a hero of justice._

 _But eventually I realized that saving someone means not saving somebody else. For everyone I saved, there were so many others that I couldn't save._

 _How can you call yourself one if you can't save everyone? What's the point in saving someone, at the cost of not saving others? I'm not saying it's wrong, saving people that is, but the dream…the dream…I woke up._

" _I think I understand, dad._ " Shirou thought. " _You weren't just thinking about the sacrifices of the Path of Least Bloodshed, were you? The people you grew up on that island, your friend Shirley, and maybe even grandfather: you were thinking about them too weren't you?_ "

Finishing his socks, Shirou began to put on his shoes. " _It was because of what happened to them that you decided to walk that path._ " Shirou thought. " _And because of that, you killed your own dream, and when you realized it, it was already too late._ "

Shirou sighed, sitting back after putting on his shoes. " _I understand, dad._ " He thought. " _I understand why you gave up on the dream in the end, or why you killed it in the first place. I understand too, that it might be impossible. But, I won't give up._ "

Shirou set his face, and rose to his feet. Gathering his things, he walked towards the door, and opening it left his room for the day.

 _To make the impossible possible: that's what a miracle is, isn't it? Miracles are what magi do._

 _And I'm a magus._

 _I'm a magus._

* * *

The doors into the office closed quietly behind Shirou, and he silently regarded Lord Waver El-Melloi II sitting behind his desk across the office. "Well," Waver began. "Take a seat."

Shirou nodded, and crossing the room sat down on one of the chairs in front of the desk. The silence endured for several moments, and then Waver sighed. "So," he said. "How do you feel?"

Shirou looked down, sighed, and looked up again. "I could be better I guess." He said with small smile. "But, I think I'm fine now. Thank you again for telling me about dad's past. Its better I learn it now, from someone I trust and with the best for me in mind, than from someone less…honourable, in the future."

Waver snorted. "Yes," he said. "I suppose so."

Again, silence fell between them. "So what will you do now?" Waver asked.

Shirou's eyes hardened with resolve. "I'll continue." He said. "I'll continue with what I've been doing. I'll be a magus, one with no regrets. I'll save my sister and make dad's dream come true. Either of those could be impossible, but I'll try anyway. And besides, magi are supposed to work miracles aren't they? And I'm a magus, and I'll be the best magus I can be."

Waver was silent, though his eyes briefly flickered with sadness. "I see." He eventually said. "Kiritsugu barely spoke of them to me, his wife and daughter. I do know though, that the former – your stepmother – is dead, and your sister is with the Einzbern."

Waver paused, and his eyes narrowed. "Do you really think you can get her back?" he asked. "Your father tried you know, and he failed. Granted, he was already on the wane, but even so he had a vast weight of experience behind him. Do you really think you can succeed where he failed?"

" _Nothing is impossible to he who will try._ " Shirou quoted in Japanese, and Waver's eyes flew wide. Shirou smiled before speaking in English. "Alexander the Great said that. They also said he was insane, that he would be defeated and killed, or forced to return home in shame. Instead, the man marched to the ends of the world."

"How did you…?"

Shirou smiled, lowering his face with mild embarrassment. "I read quite a bit." He said. "I especially liked reading about heroes who became examples even to modern times, like King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, or Charlemagne and the Twelve Paladins. I also liked reading about people from history who did what others said was impossible, like Cao Cao or Alexander the Great."

For a moment Waver was stunned silent, and then with a small laugh he sat back in his chair. He smiled in reminiscence, and briefly closed his eyes. " _Truly, your glory goes beyond the bounds of time and space, and in ways that even I did not expect, my King._ " He thought fondly, and opened his eyes.

He looked at Shirou, and the boy met them. The silence endured for a few moments, and then Shirou's face hardened with resolve. "Last night," he began. "You mentioned that you didn't believe in blaming children for their parents' sins."

"So I did."

Shirou lowered his face. "Dad," he said before briefly hesitating. "He had a falling out with your family didn't he? Just like with the Einzbern…?"

Waver laughed weakly. "Falling out…?" he echoed. "You know I'm the Lord El-Melloi II, right?"

Shirou looked up and grimaced. "He didn't?" he asked.

Waver laughed weakly. "Oh yes." He said. "Lord Kayneth Archibald El-Melloi was killed by Kiritsugu Emiya in battle. By itself that's not really something to hold a grudge over, magi walk with death after all, but unfortunately the Archibald crest was destroyed in the process."

Shirou actually cringed at that. "DAD!" he found himself retorting loudly, and Waver laughed loudly. Shirou glared at him.

"It's not funny!" he said.

"Well, ahem, excuse me," Waver said with a few coughs. "You're right it isn't, except as gallows humour."

"How am I still alive?" Shirou said darkly. "I know how important those things are, and considering how old the El-Melloi is, the crests of any of its member families probably go back a long way."

"You're alive because my predecessor's death nearly left the El-Melloi in ruins." Waver said with a shrug. He then smiled somewhat smugly. "If it weren't for me…"

He trailed off, and then he shrugged again after a few moments. "I guess rebuilding our fortunes and other business like that caused you to be forgotten." Waver said.

"I wonder how long that would have lasted."

"True," Waver admitted, his smile vanishing. "But that doesn't matter anymore. Things have changed."

"You mentioned the Second Magician's name."

"Yes I did." Waver said with a nod. "He was the one who told us about your gift. And you should be thankful: it would have been a _hard_ fight for me to keep the elders from ordering your death otherwise."

Waver paused, and regarded Shirou evenly. "Before you say I wouldn't have known you in that case," he said. "I told you before. I don't believe in children being made to pay for their parents' mistakes."

Shirou lowered his face briefly, and then lifting it nodded. "There were still those who argued for your execution," Waver said, deciding not to reveal Reines was among those. "The decision was deferred, until I had assessed your abilities in person."

"So that's why you came to Japan." Shirou said in realization, and Waver nodded.

"That's right."

"And…?"

Waver smiled encouragingly. "You can be slow sometimes." He said. "You're also a bit too trusting, and maybe naïve. But you're not stupid, and you're honest, hardworking, and determined. And in my opinion, those last three traits are your best traits, and you should make sure never to lose them."

Shirou smiled and nodded, and Waver nodded back. "The decision was made last year to take you in, after your father's death." He said. "Again there was an argument over whether you should be made a bound retainer or a family member by marriage."

"And…?"

"The decision was deferred."

"Again…?"

"Yes." Waver said. "The El-Melloi would see more of your abilities before making a final decision."

"I see." Shirou said. He briefly hesitated, and then he sighed. "What do you think Waver?"

"Me?" Waver said before leaning forward and resting his chin on his clasped hands. "Well, I wouldn't mind being family, do you?"

Shirou smiled and shook his head. "I guess not." He said before his smile faded. "But…"

"It'll be alright." Waver interrupted him. "You will be expected to have at least one child, but unlike less-scrupulous families you won't be treated as a stud to be bred as needed or desired. The El-Melloi is an old-fashioned bunch, and if you're family then that's precisely it: you're family."

"I see."

Waver smiled and leaned back. "Well," he said. "You'll have to 'run errands' like I do sometimes, but at least you'll get more out of it than if you were just a bound retainer. You'll be just a glorified errand boy in that case…"

Waver trailed off, and after a moment's thought he shook his head and sighed. "Excuse me," he said. "I might have said too much, advertising the relative loss of your independence and…"

"No." Shirou interrupted. "I understand. And it's not like the El-Melloi are unjustified in thinking like that. Wrong in some ways, but, dad did kill the family head and destroyed a priceless family belonging so…"

Shirou trailed off, but Waver stayed silent. And then Shirou sighed. "It's only just and right that they get repaid for that, I guess." He eventually said. "Though, I wish I knew more about the reasons and things like that about the battle."

He glanced hopefully at Waver, but the mage-lord was silent for several moments. And then Waver looked away. "I'll tell you when you're older." He said. "It's complicated."

Shirou looked surprised, opening his mouth as though to say something but closed it after a moment's thought. Waver sighed after another moment. "To get the best ending," he said, looking back at Shirou. "You'll need to work hard. You'll need to give not just your best, but everything you have."

Shirou nodded, and Waver smiled encouragingly. "Einzbern is an old family, older than ours actually if not as well-connected." He said. "It'll take a lot to get the rest of the family to help you reclaim your sister, but…"

"I understand." Shirou said firmly. "But don't worry: to get my sister back and to make our father's dreams and hopes come true, I'll do everything and the best I can. And of course,"

Shirou paused and smiled at Waver. "I don't mind us being family too, Waver." He said, and Waver smiled and nodded at that.

"I see." He said, and then glanced at a wall clock. "I trust this settles your concerns?"

Shirou didn't answer at once after all there were still the circumstances about his father's battle with the previous Lord El-Melloi. Depending on those, then the value of Magic Crests aside the El-Melloi could be overreacting over what his father had done.

But, he trusted Waver. If Waver didn't think it was time for him to know, then shouldn't he do as trust demanded?

Shirou sighed, and nodded. "Yes." He said. "They're satisfied."

Waver stayed silent a moment longer, and then he nodded. "Alright then," he said. "You should go, you have classes to attend. See you at my lecture later then, Shirou."

"Yes."

* * *

 _I've something to attend to this session. But, this doesn't mean you get it off. We've been discussing Mystic Codes for the past week, so I want you to discuss among yourselves the application of what we've discussed. Take notes. I'll be looking them over when I get back. And I will get back, probably at the time we usually end our sessions. Maybe earlier depending on how my business goes._

 _Regards,_

 _Wilhelmina von Model_

The instructions had been written down on the chalkboard, the elder magus nowhere in sight when the three girls had entered their study room. After some deliberation on how best to perform their given task, they'd gathered in a circle, and spent the past twenty minutes listening as Rin discussed the basic design for a mystic code she'd come up with based on what their tutor had taught them for the past week.

"Hmm," Hannah Kingsley hummed thoughtfully, her arms crossed over her chest. "It's not a bad idea, but I think you're better off using silver-plated meteoric iron rather than gold for this."

"What makes you say that?" Rin Tohsaka asked. Louise Pickles was nearby, the three twelve year-old magi sitting around a table on which lay a single, glowing gem. It projected into the air a wireframe model of a vambrace with elaborate tracery spiralling out from a circle. Inscribed in the circle, or rather arranged therein in a pentagon were five gems.

"Gold is, well, _inert_." Hannah said. "It's unreactive to air or water, or indeed to most substances apart from _aqua regia_. Even in alchemy,"

At that Hannah paused and gave a nod at Louise, who was the alchemy expert – as far as any of them could be considered 'experts' – among them. "Gold is nearly impossible to work with." she concluded.

"Well," Louise said with a weak smile. "I'd think that's something of an exaggeration. True, gold is unaffected by most reagents or alchemical reactions, and magecraft with less than five hundred years of conceptual weight won't be able to affect it on a fundamental level, but I'd hardly call gold completely inert."

"I never said it was." Hannah said a bit petulantly. "Sure you can make a golden suit of armour, but it certainly won't stop you from getting roasted by a blast of elemental fire, getting shocked by lightning, or well, getting blown to bits by anything with sufficient power."

"Yes," Louise agreed. "Gold's not exactly the most durable material to make armour out of, and as a metal it's not exactly the most protective."

"Yes, well," Rin said with a cough. "I wasn't planning on making armour, just a mystic code."

"In that case why not just use a bracelet?"

"I thought about that too." Rin agreed. "But the larger area of a vambrace will allow more room for me to incorporate mysteries and concepts within the mystic code's fundamental structure."

"Well yes, I suppose there's that."

"I guess silver-plated meteoric iron could work, but, um," Rin began, and then paused while biting her lip. "Well, if I do that I'll have the opposite problem. Silver and meteoric iron are too reactive, especially the latter, and could be said to conduct prana _too_ well."

"Well that's for your control and safety functions isn't it?"

"True, but,"

Hannah barked out a laugh. "Getting lazy, Rin?" she asked playfully, and earning her a dirty look.

"Well I suppose you could use gold plating as an outer insulation layer." Hannah offered. "It'd reduce the complexity of control and safety functions needed if you made your mystic code from meteoric iron."

"Though in that case the problem then becomes how will the mystic code interact with the outside world?" Louise said. "Gold-plated meteoric iron isn't as magically-inert as the whole thing being made of gold, but it's still going to be, um, difficult to channel prana through that layer of gold."

The girls hummed in thought at that, but several moments later and Rin snapped her fingers in a seeming Eureka moment. "I know." She said. "The core of the mystic code would be made of meteoric iron. It's magically-conductive, and a structurally and physically-stable substance. It'll hold mysteries well, and neither will it be fragile."

Rin waved her hands through the air as she spoke, prana pulsing precisely through her magic circuits as she did so. With every gesture the projection shifted and changed, displaying data and modifications and predictions thereof.

"The outer layer will be made of gold though." Rin said. "It will serve well to insulate the core from external influence outside of the conductor network and the jewel interface. And,"

Rin paused, and held up her right arm. At the same time, the projection shifted, flipping open to expose the underside of the prospective mystic code. "I could extend the conductor network to the underside, allowing me to link it directly to my crest." Rin said, briefly flashing her crest for emphasis.

Hannah whistled at that. "Linking your mystic code directly – for a given value of direct – to your crest?" she said. "It's not the most novel idea, but it's not something you see every day either."

"Will you use silver for the conductor network?" Louise asked.

"No, I think I'll use electrum." Rin said.

"Electrum…?" the girls echoed, and Rin nodded.

"Yes." She said. "I'll have to do more research and experimentation to determine the proper percentage of metal in the alloy, but the combination of gold and silver should work well as an intermediate conduit through the inert outer layer and the super-conductive core."

"Gold for stability, and silver for conductivity…?" Hannah murmured. "It's not a bad idea, but as you said you'll have to work on the proper percentages in the alloy mix to get the best out of it."

"Yes, I know."

The girls paused for a couple of minutes to update their notes, and then Hannah spoke up again. "By the way," she began. "What gems do you intend to use for this? You could still access the Five Elements without them – you are an Average One after all – but mystic codes are supposed to help you actualize your mysteries. Without the right gems, you might find the mystic code more a hindrance than help."

"I know." Rin said. "I was thinking of using a ruby for fire, a sapphire for water, sphene for earth, an emerald for wind, and a diamond for ether. Between those and my crest, this should fine-tune and augment my elemental control to a higher level than I would normally expect."

"Well that's what a mystic code is meant to do." Louise remarked. "Though as with the percentage of the electrum's composition, you'll need to get the best conceptual weight and internal structure for the individual gems. Not to mention, it has to be generally-uniform, otherwise balance in performance could prove problematic."

"I know."

The girl shared nods, and again updated their notes. After a minute, Rin looked up at her friends. "Well then," she said. "Anything more…?"

"No," Hannah said, picking up and looking through her notes. "That's all for now I suppose. Though we should cross-check each other's notes once we're all done discussing each other's mystic code proposals."

"I agree." Louise said, also looking up from her notes. "I've got no more concerns for now, and yes, I also agree we should cross-check each other's notes afterwards."

Rin nodded her assent, and then reaching forward retrieved the gem which contained the design data for her mystic code, basic as it was. "Well then," she said with a smile. "I guess it's your turn Hannah."

"I guess it is." The girl said with a grin. Pulling out a small vial, she opened it and poured out iron sand on the table. A gesture and a word later, and the iron sand arranged itself into a diorama of a hammer-like mystic code. "Well then, this is…"

* * *

The bell rang, and the instructor immediately wrapped up his discussion, concisely summarizing his lecture even as the class packed up their things. "And one more thing before you leave," he said. "I want a three-page essay on Meta-Liquid Dynamics, along with examples and brief discussions of possible applications, direct or indirect. I want to see proper citations and a separate reference page. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes sir."

"Dismissed," he said, waving them off before beginning to clear the chalkboard. Having gathered his things, Shirou left with the rest of crowd exchanging pleasantries with those few of his fellow magi who'd managed to work out their narrow-minded perspective on Oriental magi, and had tried to befriend him.

 _Well, I guess being part of the powerful El-Melloi faction has its perks, or getting off on the right foot with that Edelfelt girl, Luvia, wasn't it?_

 _Though, I should really have tried to get closer to them first on my own, instead of letting them make the first move. Then again, I'd probably have been politely, I don't know, rejected? What's the right word to use?_

Shirou sighed. It had been a week since he'd come to the Clock Tower, and while he was finally beginning to get used to the rhythm of things, he had no friends apart from Waver, just some acquaintances. And those were drawn to him only because of who he knew and what he had.

 _Making friends based on who they know and what they have…I know it's inevitable given the way the Clock Tower and magi work, but still…_

"Well, well, if it isn't the El-Melloi's boy genius?" an unknown voice said behind him as he turned the corner and began to walk down the corridor away from the classroom. Shirou whirled in response, and blinked.

She was a young woman of indeterminate age, probably mid to late-twenties, dressed in a simple, collared and long-sleeved blouse of white over an ankle-length skirt of plain brown. Simple in appearance, but Shirou's eyes were experienced enough that even without reinforcement or structural analysis he could tell that her clothes were well-made.

Apart from that, there wasn't much that was distinctive about her, though she was short for a European lady, only about five feet and three inches high if his guess was right. Assuming she was European of course: those glasses of her were keeping her detailed features obscured.

 _Magi have plenty to hide, usually, but this lady takes it to an entirely new level._

"No offence," Shirou began. "But I don't really see myself as a genius. I'm just someone with a rare gift, and I'll have to work and study hard to make the best of it."

The woman smiled warmly, and Shirou blinked. The smile was…honest. Not that it was a bad thing, but honesty from strangers wasn't usually expected, even for him. Least of all here in the Clock Tower, apart from Waver that is. Both Luvia and his other acquaintances veiled how they presented themselves to the world, though to be fair they barely knew each other.

This woman though…and that smile…

…why was it so warm?

Shirou suppressed a troubled expression. This woman's smile…it reminded him too much of his earliest conscious memory, from when he had lain on the brink of death on the burned and shattered ground in the morning rain, and his father had found him and gave him new life.

It was the smile of a person who'd been saved, even though they'd saved someone else.

 _Why?_

 _Or...is it real? I like to think it real, but..._

"Excuse me," the woman said with a small bow of apology. "I've forgotten to introduce myself. I am Fredericka Wilhelmina Victoria Alberta von Model. Formally I'd be called Miss von Model, but I'd prefer either Miss Fredericka or Miss Wilhelmina."

"I see." Shirou said, straightening where he stood. "Well then, I am Shirou Emiya. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Shirou bowed formally, and Wilhelmina's smile grew wider by a fraction. "You're very honest aren't you?" she asked. "And modest too, if what you said earlier was any indication."

"Thank you very much."

Wilhelmina gave a small laugh. "Well," she said. "We don't really know each other that well to discuss things in more detail about each other right now, so I'll end with this. Mister Emiya, I owe a great deal to your family, a debt I could never hope to repay in full."

"Debt…?" Shirou echoed, only to be silenced by a finger to his lips.

"Yes, a debt." Wilhelmina confirmed. "That's why if you ever need my help, feel free to come and ask. And don't worry about faction issues and things like that: I'm a senior serving apprentice to the Second Magician. And if any faction can paradoxically be said to be above faction fighting, it's mine."

Shirou's eyes went wide, and Wilhelmina laughed. "You're such an honest boy." She said almost sadly.

 _Why?_

"You don't trust me completely it seems." Wilhelmina said with a sigh. "Maybe you're not as dense as you seem."

Shirou's eyes narrowed at that, but was pre-empted from saying anything. "Allow me to invite you to tea one of these days." Wilhelmina said. "If things go well, I might even be able to introduce you to someone who might be quite interested in meeting you."

Shirou then flinched as Wilhelmina ruffled his hair, and turning looked after the older magus as she walked past and away.

 _What just happened?_

* * *

A/N

And there we go. Mostly Shirou and Waver fluff, but I was able to sneak in some titbits about Rin's development. Wilhelmina also meets J&C Shirou. It's short, and very vague on Wilhelmina's end, but won't you tell me what you think about it and what could come of it?


	18. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: I do not own the Fate franchise it belongs to Kinoko Nasu and Type-Moon.

Jewels and Crows

Chapter 17

"It's Einzbern."

"Well isn't that a rare sight?" Lord Waver El-Melloi II softly returned his aide's remark. "As I recall their business with the Association is usually with Estray, not with the Clock Tower."

It was undeniable though, a party of platinum-blonde, red-eyed homunculi in predominantly-white 18th Century guard uniforms were marching down the corridor in the opposite direction as Waver and his aide. While the Einzbern weren't the only manufacturers of homunculi in the world – though they _were_ considered the best – they were the most common users of them, and those uniforms were distinctive of Einzbern Household Guards. The same went for the halberds they carried, forged from patented alloys and requiring trans-Human physiques to wield, and enough to rend modern tanks with ease.

The aide's remark was pre-empted however, by a greeting from one of the homunculi. "Ah, good afternoon Lord El-Melloi II," he (she) called as they approached. Waver came to a halt, while the Einzbern continued until there were only a few feet left between them. Then the guards' ranks parted, allowing the figure in the centre to step forward and address Waver directly. "This is an unexpected pleasure I am honoured by your presence."

Waver narrowed his eyes warily. The figure was clearly a homunculus, what with her platinum-blonde hair and blood-red irises, but the way of speaking, the expression of all-too-Human arrogance (in contrast to the cold, mechanical, perhaps _inhuman_ coldness of the other homunculi's expressions), the way he (she) held himself (herself), and attire which spoke of high rank within the Einzbern family hierarchy: could he (she) really be a homunculus?

But then again, Waver had met Irisviel von Einzbern during the previous Holy Grail War. Homunculi were usually little better than high-functioning automatons lacking initiative and free will compared to Humans, but he'd heard of rare, high-quality homunculi that were truly Human in everything but their fundamental nature. In hindsight, Irisviel and this homunculus before him were examples of that rare pinnacle of alchemical art.

"So you are," Waver said with a nod. "And it seems you have the advantage of me, good sir."

The androgynous homunculus bowed apologetically. "My apologies, my lord," he (she) said. "I have the honour of being named Lucille von Einzbern."

 _I'm guessing that for these rare individuals, to be allowed to use the name 'von Einzbern' is both a personal honour and a means to showcase the family's achievement._

 _Though I imagine that despite being held in higher regard than most of their kind, they're still considered 'property' by their 'family', with all that it entails._

 _Magi will be magi I guess. And Einzbern are among the oldest lineages in the world, going back a thousand years if I remember correctly._

"Then I am honoured to make your acquaintance." Waver said with another nod. "Might I ask though, what your business in the Clock Tower is? It is rather curious you see, seeing as your family's contributions to our Mages Association don't usually fall under the auspices of this Clock Tower."

"Very well my lord," Lucille said. "I am here on personal order of His Excellency Jubstacheit von Einzbern, to clarify certain, interesting, reports that have drawn His Excellency's interest. In particular, they involve an exiled Russian noble moving once more within exalted circles, the Lord Second taking indirect interest in an Oriental if gifted waif and her friends, and finally whispers of a rare find: a boy, said to both originate and have an affinity for the same uncommon concept…"

The homunculus trailed off, but smugly smiled as he (she) met Waver's eyes. Crimson eyes met green ones, but Waver was not about to be intimidated. He'd dared stand in challenge before the King of Heroes after the King of Conquerors' fall in battle. Compared to that terrible majesty, this homunculus was like an ant aping a giant.

Waver briefly closed his eyes, and smugly smiled as he opened them. The smile endured as the homunculus' smile faltered. "I see." Waver said. "Then perhaps I should say that I know of no Russian nobles stirring up the waters here in the Clock Tower, or the Lord Second having taken on apprentices or is considering possible apprentices recently. And while I suppose the former could be excused on account of the sheer size of the Clock Tower, the latter would undoubtedly have made news around the Clock Tower. As it has not…"

Waver trailed off, but the homunculus said nothing, at least at first. "I see." Lucille eventually said. "And the boy…?"

Waver laughed softly and made to walk past. None of the homunculi present made to stop him, but Lucille followed him with his (her) gaze. "Your information is out-dated." Waver said laconically. It was true: the El-Melloi's interest in Shirou went back years, even if he'd only come to the Clock Tower nearly three months ago.

"You've taken on what is likely to be a great burden, my lord." Lucille remarked.

"That may be so," Waver said, coming to a halt but not looking back. "But I do not think so. Thus far the boy's performance is certainly worthy of our continued patronage, and perhaps more in time."

Lucille's eyes narrowed, and then he (she) smiled. "I see." He (she) said. "His lineage may prove troublesome however, and in more ways than one."

"We are not so short-sighted as to not have considered that." Waver said, finally looking back at Lucille. "And as I recall, the boy's family was expelled five years ago were they not? Consider that in your calculations."

"Oh I'm sure His Excellency will, my lord." Lucille said, and after a moment Waver broke the gaze and began to walk away. After another moment the homunculi could be heard walking away. Waver waited until they'd left earshot, and turned to his aide.

"Make sure my sister is informed about this." He ordered. "The Einzbern's finally noticed."

* * *

"Well," Reines remarked. "It had to happen eventually. At least we noticed quickly, such that we may take countermeasures if and when necessary."

"You sound so concerned."

Reines smiled at her brother, though he couldn't see it. Waver was staring out of his office windows at the London nightscape, while Reines was sitting on the couch. "Sarcasm…?" Reines asked. "I've said it before and I'll say it again. It doesn't suit you, dear brother."

Waver snorted but didn't say anything. Instead he just kept on staring out of the windows. After a moment Reines shrugged and continued. "At any rate," she said. "Any potential hostile action from Einzbern to our ward can and will be dealt with as originally-planned with regard to the enemies of the late Magus Killer."

For a moment, Waver was silent, and then he turned to look over his shoulder. "Keep in mind however," he said. "The Einzbern are different from most enemies of the Magus Killer. For the most part, they are surviving relatives or associates of heretics, Dead Apostles, and criminals. As a result, their means to act will be relatively-limited, lest they be exposed to attention they would rather not court."

This time it was Reines' turn to snort. "And you do not think the same goes for the Einzbern?" she said. "Their lineage may be older than ours, but their own reclusive nature has resulted in their influence being far smaller than it should be for a family that goes back a thousand years. When all is said and done, they are our _equals_ , perhaps even inferior in some ways. I do not recall the Einzbern having a relatively-close working relationship with the Barthomeloi, do you?"

Waver turned back to the windows. "No," he said. "I do not."

"Well there you go." Reines said. "The Einzbern or indeed any _notables_ among the Magus Killer's enemies are extremely unlikely to make the first move, not so long as Shirou is associated with us. To do so would be to court social and political disaster."

"True," Waver conceded. "But the Einzbern have more reason than most among _notables_ as you put it, to hate the Magus Killer. The Heaven's Feel rituals are their means to regain their lost Third Magic. The previous one was the closest the ritual ever came to completion, only to fail at the last thanks to the Magus Killer's betrayal."

"And…? Do you think it will be enough for them to risk catastrophe?"

"No," Waver said, turning to face Reines. "At least not directly: they are however more than capable of taking _indirect_ action. In fact, that is an expected if not outright normal means to retaliate and such for those among our station. They'll take damage yes, but it won't nearly be as damaging as direct action would be, and far easier to recover from."

"In other words," Reines said with narrowed eyes. "It'll be just another round in the games of power and intrigue within the exalted circles of the magi nobility."

"Precisely,"

The eleven year-old hummed unhappily, and crossed her arms over her chest. After several moments she glanced at Waver. "I understand." She said. "The reasoning is sound. However, I think pre-emptive action is too risky, against a relative equal like the Einzbern."

"I agree." Waver said with a nod. "It might also weaken our image, by making us look hasty and reactionary. If anything, that might provoke Shirou's enemies, drawn as they would be by nervous and shaky prey."

"While the choice of words is somewhat questionable," Reines said. "It certainly serves to drive the point home. Do you have any ideas for an alternative course of action?"

Waver paced for a bit. "The best we can probably do is _passively_ pre-empt any potential hostile actions by the Einzbern." He eventually said. "This can be done by carefully focusing assets from the information branch on their activities."

Waver stopped pacing. "It'll be delicate though." He said. "It'll have to be done so as to avoid arousing suspicion, while simultaneously increasing our awareness of their activities and intentions, without weakening the information branch in other areas, or indeed, the bigger picture."

Reines nodded her agreement. "I suppose that's the best we can do and hope for." She said. "And even if they notice, it might serve to restrain them. Still, try to avoid getting noticed. And more importantly, can I entrust such delicate realignment of information branch assets to you?"

"I'll do what I can."

Reines nodded. "That should be fine then." She said. "Moving on, the other interests of the Einzbern are potentially concerning, even if only because – even if they aren't connected to possible hostile action against Shirou – the movements of another high-ranking family will inevitably cause ripples that will affect us all."

"She – Lucille von Einzbern – mentioned an exiled Russian noble, and the Lord Second taking an interest in a few people." Waver said. "I know nothing of the former, but I have my suspicions about the latter."

"Hmm, very well, I'll personally ask around and look into this supposed exiled Russian noble." Reines said after a moment's thought. "No offence Waver, but as brilliant a scholar, instructor, and theoretician as you are, you're not exactly the best when it comes to moving around in high society outside of academic circles."

"And I admit that." Waver said with a shrug. "Technically, I'm only a noble by adoption so I never had the training or upbringing you or our other relatives received."

"Fair enough," Reines said graciously. "And your suspicions…?"

"Have you heard of Fredericka Wilhelmina von Model?"

"Ah yes, the Lord Second's current proxy," Reines said with a nod. "Has she done anything notable lately? Last I heard all she was doing was keeping up on and documenting recent events for her master."

"Apparently she's been tasked by the Lord Second himself with tutoring one Rin Tohsaka and her friends."

"And who is this Rin Tohsaka?"

"She's a Japanese sixth-generation magus, one of the few practitioners from that country that make use of orthodox magecraft."

"I see." Reines said. For a few moments she was silent, inwardly debating whether or not to continue scrutinizing an Oriental. "And is there anything special about her?"

"Well she's an Average One for one thing." Waver said, giving a small smile as Reines looked at him in surprise. "And while I don't have any details, apparently she has a large number of high-quality magic circuits to round things out."

"I see."

"And that's not all: Tohsaka is one of the founding families of the Heaven's Feel rituals." Waver concluded. "Small wonder then that Rin Tohsaka has the attention – no matter how indirect – of the Lord Second, considering the first Tohsaka magus and the contributor to the Heaven's Feel, was the Lord Second's apprentice."

Reines laughed briefly. "And of course," she said. "This would draw the attention of the Einzbern."

"Quite,"

"Well," Reines said. "The Lord Second is free to do as he sees fit with his apprentices or potential apprentices. It is no business of ours, though a bit of looking further into the matter wouldn't hurt."

Waver glanced at Reines curiously. "Do you want me to handle it?" he asked.

"No, I'll do it." Reines said with a shake of her head. "I'll handle it along with the matter of that Russian noble."

"Alright then,"

"Oh yes." Reines suddenly said. "Shirou will be returning to Japan by the end of the week, won't he?"

"That's right."

"He won't be back until next summer?"

"That's also right."

Reines nodded. "I see." She said. "Invite him to afternoon tea then before the week is out. He's been doing well and studying hard for months now. I'd like to congratulate and praise him for that in person. And…"

"And…?" Waver pressed, and Reines smiled.

"No," she said with a shake of her head. "I was just thinking how refreshing meeting that honest boy again would be, that's all."

Waver laughed briefly. "I see." He said.

* * *

Several days after her encounter with the Lord El-Melloi II, Lucille von Einzbern's report arrived at Einzbern castle. It was at dissected, analysed, and then condensed by the Einzbern information branch before being forwarded for review by the family head and his advisors.

The first topic on the table was that of Shirou Emiya. Lucille had been able to acquire his detailed profile from the Department of General Fundamentals, and the records of his activities for the past three months in the Clock Tower.

"This is a serious oversight." Franz von Einzbern began. "While it cannot be denied that the Emiya boy's number and quality of circuits are rather average, neither can his aligned origin and affinity simply be ignored."

"That's something of an exaggeration." Gertrude von Einzbern remarked. "I'll admit that an aligned origin and affinity has immense potential, but there also has to be equal potential to achieve it. The way the boy's circuits are, he'll inevitably fall short."

"Yes, that limitation is there." Franz admitted. "But it's not as if it's particularly lacking either. With the proper training and resources, if he applies himself sufficiently then yes, in time he can push his mysteries to a level infinitely close to that of True Magic."

Franz raked the table with his gaze. "And with the El-Melloi sponsoring him, he'll have access to the training and resources he needs." He said. "It'll be more difficult and would need more time than if he had numerous, high-quality circuits, but it can be done."

He paused and tapped the folder marked with Shirou's name with a finger. "And just by looking at his files from the Clock Tower's Department of General Fundamentals, he's got a good start." He said.

"I suppose you're right." Gertrude conceded. "If so, then yes we've committed a serious oversight, allowing such a valuable, potential asset to slip past our grip."

"That much is clear in hindsight." Jubstacheit agreed. "However that is precisely the point: hindsight. We knew nothing of the boy's potential at the time, and were justifiably focused on the betrayal of the Magus Killer at the time. And what are the chances that Kiritsugu Emiya could have found someone so gifted by pure chance?"

"Extremely improbable," Gertrude admitted. "And while not as improbable, what were the chances that Kiritsugu Emiya's waif would have magical potential?"

Franz nodded. "The assessment at the time was that Kiritsugu Emiya rescued the boy out of some misguided sense of atonement. By all accounts, the boy was orphaned by the destruction Emiya unleashed himself. He didn't look for the boy. He just found him." he said. "And while I don't consider the first assessment wrong (at least not completely), and it has proven indirectly useful for psychological imprinting of the Magus Killer's daughter, the man was simply lucky. More than once: not only did he somehow survive the hellish firestorm he himself unleashed (though it may have contributed to the poor health that led to his recent death), but his own stepson is impressively-gifted."

"That is my belief as well." Jubstacheit agreed with a nod. "The chances of Shirou Emiya having magical potential were so low that it was not even considered at the time. All we saw was a means to turn Emiya's daughter even further against him."

The old man paused and swept his wintery gaze around the table. "And I do not think we are wrong in avenging ourselves in such a fashion, do you?" he asked.

"Certainly not,"

"Treachery must always be avenged."

"He merely received his due."

Jubstacheit nodded. "Then we can put the matter to rest." He said. "Our inability to take possession of Shirou Emiya early on is an oversight, but one understandable given the circumstances."

"Which means," Franz said. "Our concern now should focus on what we can do here and now."

"Where do you see the boy going in the future?" Conrad von Einzbern asked.

"Too early to tell," Franz said. "He could remain with General Fundamentals, but it's also possible for him to find places at the Department of Individual Fundamentals, or Modern Magecraft Theories. In my opinion those are the likeliest departments he'd end up aligning with."

"Is it possible to realign him to us?" Gertrude asked. "His stepfather did marry into our family, and it could be argued that this made the Emiya a branch of our family. If so, then our rights to the boy should supersede that of the El-Melloi. In fact, they have no direct legal right, apart from the financial sponsorship given to the boy over the past months in the Clock Tower."

"Unfortunately," Conrad said. "We banished Kiritsugu Emiya at the conclusion of the previous Heaven's Feel ritual. El-Melloi could safely argue that would count as disownment of the Emiya branch, especially given his blood daughter is _not_ an Emiya, but a von Einzbern."

"As the senior family, it is only fitting that our name should supersede theirs." Gertrude answered. "Not to mention traditional: officially we have no branch families. But that's only because we are all von Einzbern."

"Yes, but El-Melloi would counter that as we disowned Kiritsugu Emiya, we also disowned any heirs he might have and has gained after his disownment." Conrad countered.

"Hmm," Gertrude mused for a few moments. "Certainly the matter is more complex than it appears on the surface. We should probably conduct a legal study on the matter."

"No, it's probably best to just let the boy go." Franz put in.

"What?" Conrad and Gertrude both said at the same time. Jubstacheit however only looked curious.

"I don't doubt the El-Melloi took the boy in because his gift and what it could result are more valuable than simply killing him in revenge for Kiritsugu Emiya's destruction of Lord Kayneth Archibald El-Melloi's crest." Franz elaborated. "Most likely, they plan to marry him off to a branch scion, and have their child – and by extension the El-Melloi – inherit Shirou Emiya's mysteries through his crest."

Eyes narrowed at that, and Conrad glanced at another folder on the table. Franz however continued to speak. "However," he said. "They also have to be aware that they'll be drawing attention – including hostile attention – by taking him in."

"I see." Gertrude said with a nod. "So that's how it is."

"They're using the boy as bait." Jubstacheit said with a smile. "Not bad at all, Reines Archisorte El-Melloi. So you're not just a child after all. You can play politics and strategy already."

"So they intend to draw the Magus Killer's enemies in, and then make them into examples to demonstrate their continued strength and recovery after Lord Kayneth Archibald El-Melloi's death." Conrad said. "How ruthless and risky of them,"

"Most would probably back down." Franz said. "The El-Melloi, for all its recent weakness, is still one of the Great Houses of the Mages Association. They are not to be challenged lightly. That the Emiya heir is implicitly bound to them as 'atonement' for his father's destruction of the Archibald crest will be bittersweet satisfaction to most."

"So we're supposed to dance to El-Melloi's tune?" Gertrude asked disdainfully.

"Of course not," Jubstacheit said. "However we must act with discretion in this matter. A direct confrontation with the El-Melloi, unless conducted with proper direction, would result in political and social disaster."

"Well yes, that much is true." Gertrude conceded, and there were murmured agreements from around the table.

"We'll keep the option of surrendering the boy wholly to the El-Melloi open." Jubstacheit decided. "However, that's only until after all options of gaining him and his gift have been closed. As mentioned, we will conduct a legal study on the matter. However, we also need to keep up with further developments, and adjust our plans accordingly."

Jubstacheit paused and narrowed his eyes. "In particular," he said. "How did El-Melloi discover the boy's gift where we did not? It's not impossible they investigated before deciding _how_ to avenge the previous Lord El-Melloi, but it seems too, clean-cut, as it is."

"That's true. It fits too well."

"I am in agreement."

"Lucille mentioned similarly in her reports." Conrad said. "She indicated she will continue to investigate the matter, and I will direct her to focus more attention on further developments on the Emiya matter."

Jubstacheit nodded his acknowledgement, and Conrad bowed. Jubstacheit now turned to one of the two other folders on the table. "Now then," he began. "Let us move on."

Jubstacheit's lips curled as he set aside Shirou's folder and opened a second one, but it was Franz who spoke up first. "How the hell did that walking corpse manage to slip past our attention for five years?" he demanded.

"I'm more curious why he looks as he does." Gertrude said. She narrowed her eyes at the image in the folder of a distinguished-looking old man in business wear. The problem with that was, Zouken Makiri – or as he started calling himself again Makiri Zolgen – shouldn't look anything like he appeared to be. "Either this is an illusion, or he's decided to stop playing games and become a full-fledged Dead Apostle."

"It could be both." Conrad said. "With that said, we can't just throw out accusations without hard evidence."

"Quite," Jubstacheit said. He smiled with mocking amusement. "Apparently he's been passing himself off as his own descendant with the same name. Well that's rather typical of him, in fact he's been doing just that for nearly two hundred years has he not?"

The smile vanished. "With that said," Jubstacheit continued. "As with El-Melloi, we cannot act hastily against Makiri. That man knows too much, and if we draw unwanted attention to him, who knows what he might _slip_ to the Association."

"He'd be destroying himself in the process." Franz said.

"Which is why he should not be backed into a corner," Conrad said. "A cornered rat will lash out without care for its own safety. This matter needs to be taken care of discreetly. And we need to know more about how and especially why that walking corpse has suddenly reappeared on the international stage after centuries of isolation…and to the point of seeking a colour designation no less."

"How unfortunate we couldn't get our hands on what he's trying to get a colour designation for." Gertrude said. "Unfortunately, deliberations on such matters are closed-doors affairs."

"Quite," Conrad said. He narrowed his eyes and dropped the folder. "So to sum things up, we need to find out why Makiri appears as he is, why he's broken his seclusion, and why and what he's seeking a colour designation."

"We also need to know the current status of the Makiri family." Franz said. "We knew they were decaying, and their lack of participation in the previous Heaven's Feel ritual was taken at the time as proof they'd finally rotted away. Again, in hindsight that might have been a mistaken assumption."

"Or perhaps," Gertrude said with narrowed eyes. "The fact that his family has finally rotted away was the last straw which finally led Makiri to become the monster he's always been."

There was dead silence for several moments, and then Jubstacheit said. "As disgusting and painful as it is to admit," he said in a disgusted tone of voice. "That is a fairly-reasonable hypothesis, if only because I _know_ that Makiri is as driven as we are to complete the Holy Grail. Magi being what they are, in the face of complete and final failure the idea of sacrificing even one's humanity is not something to be dismissed easily if it offers a chance to continue one's labours. Makiri would hardly be the first to make that choice, and he will not be the last."

"Assuming he is truly a Dead Apostle." Conrad said, and Jubstacheit nodded.

"Quite,"

"I understand." Conrad said, beginning to pen down notes. "I'll fold the investigation of the current state of the Makiri family into Makiri's…status."

Jubstacheit and the others nodded, and then turned to the next matter. Compared to Shirou Emiya, there wasn't much to discuss about Makiri Zolgen. And there was even less about the person that was the subject of the last part of the report.

"Who is this Wilhelmina von Model?" Franz demanded.

"I know of no noble magus family with the name 'von Model'." Jubstacheit said.

"Perhaps she is related to Field Marshall Walter Model…?" Gertrude asked.

"It's possible, but she is von Model, not simply Model." Franz said. The man sighed and shook his head. "This is all there is to the report…? There is barely anything of use here."

"Unfortunately all her records are sealed by personal order of the Lord Second." Conrad said, finishing and looking up from his notes. "It would take a unanimous vote of all the Clock Tower lords to open the seal, or an order from another magician or either the Director or the Vice Director. The second category is rather short: the only other magician alive today is Aoko Aozaki, the Lady Fifth, and she cares little for the Association."

"It's not like the Association can make her care." Gertrude said with grudging approval. "She is a magician, and the more powerful of the two current ones, if not nearly as experienced."

"That is debatable." Franz said. "Certainly the Lord Second was reduced to a shadow of himself after his battle with the Crimson Moon, but between the Second Magic, his peerless mastery of Jewel Magecraft, experience, and of course his unhappy inheritance as a Dead Apostle born of the Crimson Moon itself, I'd say the Lady Fifth would still be ranked below the Lord Second."

"Fair enough I suppose." Gertrude conceded. "Going back to this Wilhelmina von Model, unfortunately getting a unanimous vote between the lords is probably a miracle comparable to True Magic, and beyond our abilities. The Director sees no one, and as for the Vice Director…? Don't make me laugh."

"According to this her mansion in the London suburbs is all but a literal fortress." Franz said. "At least half a hundred bounded fields are layered over the place, and those are the ones that can be detected from outside. Whoever she is, it seems she's being rather prudent."

"Quite," Conrad agreed. "Also, according to the report this Wilhelmina hides her facial features with an illusion spell likely anchored by her spectacles, which are likely to be a mystic code of some sort."

"There could be a way to use that information." Gertrude said.

"It's possible over her overly-entrenched residence," Franz said. "But it's unlikely we can do so over her hiding her true appearance. According to this report, the Association does know what she really looks like, but again…"

"…the information is sealed by order of the Lord Second." Jubstacheit finished before reaching up to stroke a temple. "That damn vampire is giving me a headache. His appointment of this Wilhelmina as his proxy for the indefinite future is going to be trouble, to the point any trouble raised over her residence would likely be an exercise in futility."

"As his proxy, it is likely she was given materials and other resources which she keeps safe in her residence." Franz grumbled. "In which case, she cannot be blamed for being prudent."

"Something can be inferred from that though." Conrad said. He smiled as eyes turned to him. "It's likely this Wilhelmina is one of his apprentices. Who else would he name as his proxy?"

There was stunned silence for several moments, and then Conrad turned to another page. "And," he said with narrowed eyes. "This Wilhelmina was personally tasked with mentoring the Tohsaka heiress, Rin."

Silence again fell as the appendix with Rin Tohsaka's data was reviewed. "An Average One with a large number of high-quality magic circuits…?" Gertrude eventually said. "She's not a bad catch, if inferior to the Emiya boy in terms of overall potential. Still, why would the Lord Second…?"

"Could it be he's appraising her as a potential apprentice or inheritor for the Second Magic?"

Jubstacheit snorted in contempt. "The girl would be better off studying and preparing for the next Heaven's Feel ritual." He said. "There is a greater chance of reaching the Root through the Greater Grail, as opposed to having one's mind shattered by attempting to learn the Second Magic from its master. Otherwise the mental sanatorium will have a new inmate."

"True," Gertrude agreed. "Well, the girl's friends – probably placed under von Model's mentorship on a generous whim of the Lord Second – while interesting are ultimately of little concern."

"Speaking of the next Heaven's Feel," Conrad said. "Setting aside the Tohsaka girl as a possible inheritor of the Second Magic, considering her potential and the interest the Lord Second puts on her – no matter how indirect – she will be a formidable foe, at least as much as her father was during the previous ritual. The man was one of the last two Masters left in the competition, and did fight Kiritsugu Emiya in the final battle."

At that, Conrad von Einzbern fell silent. "No," he said, his eyes narrow with thought. "It's nothing, at least not without further looking into. Rin Tohsaka though, definitely bears watching."

The other Einzbern shared suspicious glances, but eventually Jubstacheit nodded. "So she does." He said.

In the end, the results of the Einzbern investigation could be summed up in a renewed determination on their part to observe the developing situation of their rivals, specifically the Tohsaka and the Matou. And in the case of Shirou Emiya, in addition to the aforementioned observation, investigation would be conducted into the possibility of his being removed from the El-Melloi sphere, and into Einzbern's.

* * *

A/N

Time skip from previous chapter: three months.

And here come the Einzbern. Note on homunculi being given the name 'von Einzbern': it's a bit of creative license on my part, but a logical one in my opinion, given that neither Sella nor Leysritt have surnames while Iri (Illya doesn't count since she's only half-homunculus) received the name _despite_ arguably as generally-expendable as they are.

In other words, based on what we've seen about Einzbern homunculi, better-built/better-developed/more valuable ones are for one reason or another (pride, showing off, etc.) are allowed to use/given the name 'von Einzbern'.

One more thing: Makiri Zolgen is Zouken's original name in _Western_ style. That's right: his first name is Makiri, and his last name is Zolgen. An erroneous (possibly deliberate) in-story mistranslation of his name from Russian to Japanese, I would guess.

That's all for now, I suppose.


	19. Chapter 18

Disclaimer: I do not own the Fate franchise it belongs to Kinoko Nasu and Type-Moon.

Jewels and Crows

Chapter 18

The September Sun shone down on the school from a lightly-cloudy sky, the air cool but pleasantly so even in midmorning. It shone down on a schoolteacher in a red jumpsuit as she led her students on a fast jog around the track, her whistle blowing rhythmically and setting the pace.

Behind her twenty-three eleven year-old girls in uniform white shirts and dark blue bloomers followed, and their breathing and footsteps following the pace. Around the track they jogged, not far behind the teacher or each other, the sound of rubber shoes repeatedly but rhythmically striking the ground in unison a solid sound filling the schoolyard air, punctuated by their teacher's whistle.

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…

…

Only, there were twenty-four female students in Class 6-2. The twenty-fourth lagged behind her classmates, and completely off the rhythm. Her breathing came in faltering gasps, and her jogging could only be called so out of courtesy. A more fitting way to describe it would be a fast stagger as the girl tried and failed to keep up, and was clearly forcing herself to keep moving and place her feet ahead one step at a time out of obligation for her physical education grade.

The teacher and her students turned the curve, and continued for the fourth and final lap. Though the students and the teacher were clearly hot and sweaty from the physical exertion in the Sun – the cool air notwithstanding – they clearly weren't bothered overmuch. Unfortunately the same couldn't be said for the girl lagging behind, though she valiantly pressed on, forcing herself to keep moving, to place her foot ahead of its pair and then repeat with the other one, again and again, to somehow keep the pace, and get it done and over with.

The first turn was passed, then the second, then the third, and finally the fourth. The class slowed to a walk, the teacher removing her whistle but continuing to lead the class in a cool down lap around the track. Most of her students followed her, though unlike her they were breathing heavily, or at least visibly so. The teacher in contrast didn't look particularly winded or anything of the sort.

The student who'd been lagging behind didn't follow however, at least not at first. She was sitting on her rump, breathing hard, fast, and heavy, trying to catch her breath while the fire went out of her muscles and her heart calmed down. A few moments later, and a tanned girl with long dark hair held out her hand, and after a moment's thought and a deep breath took the hand and was pulled to her feet.

"Really Sakura," Aya Mikazuchi remarked as she helped her friend limp along. "Two years and you still can only barely finish the standard four laps around the track."

Sakura Matou's only reply was a half-hearted and somewhat dismissive wave of her right hand, the other hand on Aya's far shoulder with Sakura's left arm draped over Aya's shoulders. Aya gave a small laugh. "Well," she said. "I guess it's better than back during first grade, when you couldn't even finish one lap. Though, you've been able to finish them since fourth grade, so how about aiming for more improvement?"

Sakura didn't reply, though her breathing had calmed down slightly. It calmed down some more as they went along, and after turning the first curve Sakura was able to push herself off Aya to stand and walk on her own. She briefly wobbled to Aya's concern, but was able to stay upright and after a few more limps was able to walk normally.

"I'll never be able to compete with you." Sakura said with a deep breath. "Thanks for the help and encouragement though, today and yesterday. Well, you know what I mean."

Aya shrugged. "No problem." She said. "What are friends for? Though, I'd say you shouldn't give up so easily, and still work to improve your form. Even if you'll never be a track star, being in better shape one way or another is something to be proud of."

"Yeah, I won't argue with you there." Sakura conceded with a wave of her hand. "Though, I'd say we're born to do some things, and not to do other things."

Aya laughed at that. "You're talking like an old lady again, Sakura." She said with a friendly pat to Sakura's back that had the other girl staggering. Sakura glared at Aya who just shrugged it off. Sakura snorted and rolled her eyes, though a faint smile took the edge off. "It can't be helped I guess, seeing as you live with your grandfather."

"That's right, it can't be helped." Sakura said. "It doesn't make it any less true of course."

Aya again laughed at that. "I guess so." She said with a wink. "For instance, you actually _like_ math. Me, that's boring as shit."

"Language," Sakura said with a wink of her own. "Though, I'd say it's only boring for you since you're not particularly good at it."

"AH!" Aya exploded in mock outrage. Playfully grabbing the laughing Sakura in a neck-lock, she briefly ground her knuckles against Sakura's scalp before letting her go. "How dare you say that, when you can barely run four laps around the track before giving out…?"

"It can't be helped, right?" Sakura said after briefly sticking out her tongue. "It's not my fault this body of mine doesn't have much stamina in it."

"Okay," Aya briefly conceded. "But you can build that up with regular exercise too."

"Okay," Sakura conceded. "But, you can also get better at math by putting more effort into studying it, right?"

Aya groaned and ran a hand through her hair. "Yeah, it's just like you to say something like that." she asked. Sakura laughed and shrugged.

"Not really," she said. "But I try."

Aya snorted, and then after a moment began to laugh. Sakura looked offended for a moment before snorting herself, and then joined Aya in laughing as well. Patting each other on the back, the two friends briefly picked up the pace to catch up with the rest of their class.

* * *

Shinji Matou was in love.

Okay that was something of an exaggeration. But he certainly was smitten, and it showed. His eyes were wide, his mouth was slightly open, and his cheeks were pink with a light blush. And he wasn't the only one.

Every boy in Class 7-1 was clearly smitten, and more than a few of the girls too. Not that Shinji could blame them, considering the appearance of their newest classmate. "Good morning." The girl said with a bow. As she rose, she smiled shyly and with a blush, her rosy, freckled cheeks warmly contrasting with her milky complexion. "I am Erina Yamashiro. It's nice to meet everyone, so I hope we all get along."

There was a moment of stupefied silence, and then the class applauded. Erina's blush deepened, and she bowed again. "Well then Erina-chan," the class advisor said. She briefly glanced at and then gestured at the empty desk which had been added to the classroom that day. "That seat over there is free, so please feel free to take a seat."

"Yes sensei."

The teacher nodded in acknowledgment, and the blonde girl walked over to her new desk, which just so happened to be right next to Shinji's own, to his left and between him and the new windows. Erina primly sat down behind her desk, every moment seeming at once to be both precise and calculated, and yet perfectly natural for all that.

After sitting down and placing her schoolbag under the desk, she glanced at and warmly smiled at Shinji. With the bright sky behind her through the windows, her curly, shoulder-length, honey-blonde hair almost seemed to glow with a warm light of its own. "Hello," she said. "May I have your name?"

Shinji gaped for a moment or two, and then catching himself coughed and answered. "M-my name is Shinji Matou." He introduced himself. "It's nice to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you too Matou-san." Erina cheerfully returned. "Seeing as we're seatmates, I'll be counting you, so please accept my apologies for any trouble that might cause."

"No, it's nothing." Shinji said, coughing again to catch himself. "As you said, we're seatmates so it's expected that we help each other out when needed, isn't it?"

"That's true." Erina said with a thoughtful expression. "Well then, if you ever need my help then feel free to just ask Matou-san."

Shinji nodded, and then smiling shyly himself took the next step. "Sure," he said. "Though, in that case, feel free to just call me 'Shinji', alright?"

Erina smiled and nodded. "Then allow me to take you up on that offer Shinji-san." She said. "And in that case, feel free to call me by name as well."

Shinji nodded. "Alright, Erina-chan?" he said hesitantly, and she beamed at him.

"Yes Shinji-kun."

* * *

The notes of Pachelbel tinkled through the air in the living room, as an old man carefully measured distances and marked opposing points on the wall above the mantel. That done he picked up a drill – an old-fashioned, hand-cranked drill instead of a modern, electrically-driven drill – and drilled holes into the wall at the marked points.

There was no one else in the house: the old man's grandchildren were at school, and he'd sent his son off on several errands for the day. The latter also had a meeting planned with a friend of his later than afternoon, once all the errands were done, as they always did every day. Privately though the old man suspected that something more might exist – if it didn't already exist – in the future between his son and his old friend, something cultivating given all the time they spent with each other.

" _Well,_ " Zouken Matou thought as he used a brush to clean out the holes he'd drilled into the wall. " _It's not like the Tohsaka woman is married anymore. She's got no obligations to her late husband, or at least she shouldn't. Other people can be stubborn too._ "

Zouken chuckled at that, and glanced at the huge, life-sized portrait leaning against the couch nearby. "No doubt you'd be laughing at my hypocrisy if you heard that, wouldn't you?" he asked. Naturally, the portrait gave no response, but the old man chuckled as though it did.

Turning back to his task, Zouken finished cleaning out the holes, and then fitted gilded, two-pronged bronze candelabrum and their bases against the wall. Lining up the holes, he fitted brass washers against the metal before sliding iron screws loosely into place. Keeping it in place with a hand, Zouken picked up a screwdriver and screwed the screws tightly into place.

Tapping the two-pronged candelabrum hard a few times to check its grip on the wall, Zouken nodded with satisfaction. Picking up its pair, he fitted it against the wall on the other side and repeated the procedure and again, nodded with satisfaction before stepping back.

After several moments drawing up lines and performing calculations in his head, Zouken took a ladder and placed it against the wall and over the mantel. Carefully balancing on the ladder, the old man used a metre stick and a grease pencil to draw further lines and marked out holes on a roughly-rectangular space on the wall.

Stepping down, he replaced his metre stick and grease pencil with a drill, and climbing up again drilled more holes into the wall. Again he stepped down, and then climbed back up with masonry nails and a hammer instead.

Driving the nails two-thirds of the way into the wall, Zouken climbed back down again, and setting aside the ladder carefully picked up the portrait and moved it against the wall. There were brass triangles behind the portrait which would have hooked onto the nails and against the wall, but getting it into place was proving harder than expected.

There were ways to ease the task, but Zouken found it more fitting, more _honouring_ the memory of the woman the portrait was dedicated to, to finish it by hand. It took over twenty minutes to finally hang the portrait on the wall, fraying Zouken's temper and vile curses punctuated every mishap towards the end, but as the old man stepped back to look at his handiwork, the warm glow of success quickly snuffed out the frustration and the anger that it took so long to finish.

And in the silence of his mind, Zouken heard a woman laughing with mocking amusement at his achievement. It made every drop of sweat, every ounce of effort, every second and every coin spent on the effort for the past year and a half worth it.

Nodding with satisfaction, Zouken picked up a three-pronged candelabrum of gilded bronze, and made to place it on the mantel. However he set it down after a glance, and then using a rag swept the mantel clean before placing the candelabrum in place. Stepping back once more, he regarded his handiwork and nodded in satisfaction.

" _I'll put off on lighting these until later._ " He thought as he placed beeswax candles into the candelabra. " _It'd be best to do so when the whole family is present, no?_ "

* * *

" _Itadakimasu…!_ " Erina said before popping a spoonful of rice into her mouth. Her desk had been turned to one side, and was now head-to-head with Shinji's own, the boy staring at her bemusedly on his side of the makeshift dining table. Around them, the rest of Class 7-1 stared for several moments, and then Shinji coughed, and with a veiled glare had the rest of the class back to their individual business.

"So," he began. "I'm guessing the natural question would be: what's a girl like you doing in a place like this?" The moment the words left his mouth, Shinji felt like kicking himself.

 _Really Shinji…? You're going to go with that?_

Erina just laughed though and waved her hand in front of her face. "Oh that was rude of me please excuse me." She said. "It's just that I usually hear that line from romance films so, excuse me, I just laughed by reflex."

Shinji laughed weakly too, and rubbed the back of his head. "Well, I guess so." He said. "It's no problem then."

Erina nodded and ate another spoonful before answering Shinji's previous question. "It's my hair isn't it?" she asked. "And my eyes: neither natural blue eyes nor blonde are exactly common Japanese traits aren't they?"

"Well yeah…"

"My father was on a business trip in Paris about twenty or so years ago when he met my mother who was a ballerina." She said. "It's a long story, but keeping it short they got along well together and the result of that is me."

Erina paused and leaned forward. "Actually," she said softly. "It's not Erina, its Eleanor. But father and his relatives found it hard to pronounce so…"

Shinji nodded as Erina trailed off. "So they used the Japanized form of Eleanor?" he asked, and Erina nodded.

"That's it." She said, and then she smiled. "Well since I told you a bit about my family, how about you tell me a bit about yours?"

"Well I guess that's fair." Shinji said with a small laugh. He reached up and tugged on his violet hair. "Following your earlier starter, violet hair and eyes aren't common for Japanese either aren't they?"

Erina laughed and nodded. "True," she said. "But while violet eyes are rare, purple hair isn't…oh, please excuse me that was rather rude wasn't it?"

"No, it's alright." Shinji said with a raised hand. "To be honest, I think it's a fluke that shows up every few generations. Grandfather has, well _had_ , violet hair it's just white now, though he does have violet eyes."

"But…?"

"Uncle Kariya and my younger sister both have dark hair, though Sakura – my sister – has blue eyes and there's a streak of white running through her hair."

"What unique colouring your sister has."

"It's probably our Russian heritage peeking through our Japanese blood."

"Russian…?"

"Hmm…?" Shinji hummed and then nodded. "Yes, Russian – my family was originally from Russia, though we migrated to Japan about two hundred or so years ago."

"Ah, so that's where the violet – well blue in your sister's case – eyes come from." Erina said.

"Not really," Shinji disagreed with a small smile. "As you said, purple eyes are rare, and when they do appear it's not unique to any group of people."

"True," Erina conceded with a shrug. She thought about things for a few moments, and then tapped her fist against a palm in realization. "I'm willing to bet that white streak of your sister's hair is actually platinum-blonde, a common Russian trait, along with her blue eyes."

"Yeah, that's…possible now that I think about it…"

Erina nodded, and pressed onward to maintain momentum. "And," she said. "The violet hair could also be a unique result of platinum blonde lightening the normally black or dark brown Japanese hair."

Shinji blinked, and tilting his head briefly looked away in though. "I," he said while looking back at Erina. "I never thought of it that way before. Ha, you learn something new every day. I'll have to talk with my grandfather over this."

Erina just beamed at him.

* * *

"You'll be holding your birthday party at the amusement park this weekend?" Sakura echoed.

Hana Kirishima nodded. "Will you be coming?" she asked.

Sakura scratched her head, and then shrugged and sighed. "I don't go out that much," she said with a small smile. "And this is something of a special occasion, so I don't think my grandfather will refuse permission."

"Alright…!"

"Way to go!"

"We'll be looking forward to it!"

"Being born to an old family is a pain in the neck, eh Sakura?" Aya asked, looking up from her console.

"I won't deny that." Sakura said. "Though, it's not nearly as bad as TV drama makes it out to be."

"That's something to be thankful for, I'd say." Aya said, and Sakura shrugged.

"No arguments there." She said before turning back to Hana. "So, will there be any special theme in the party? High Fantasy…? Sci-Fi…? Masquerade…? Cosplay…?"

"Not really," Hana said. "As I said it's a costume party, so come with the best costume you have."

"Oh? That sounds interesting." Sakura said. "Will there be a prize for the best costume?"

"Of course…!"

Sakura cackled briefly. "Then," she said. "Shall I give this everything I've got? If I'm going to dress up, then I might as well aim to be the best."

"There's a good attitude." Aya said with a grin. She winked at Sakura. "Then how about you apply that to our physical education class?"

Sakura glanced unhappily at Aya. "That's a bad joke." She said.

"It wasn't a joke."

Sakura made a choking sound, and their friends burst out laughing. Sakura glared at them to no effect, and then coughed to regain her composure. "Anyway," she said. "What are you going to be dressed up as?"

Hana grinned. "A magical princess of course!" she said.

"That's so predictable you know."

"Oh really…?" Hana asked after sticking out her tongue. "Who or what are you going as?"

"I don't know." Sakura said with a shrug. "I have to think about it. Darth Vader maybe…? The evil Emperor…? The Bad Witch of the West…?"

"It's _Wicked_ Witch of the West." Koto Hanayuki corrected. "And aren't those all bad guys?"

"Point," Sakura said. "How about Sauron the Great, the Dark Lord…?"

"Sakura…!"

Aya laughed. "Seriously though," she asked. "Who are you going to dress up as?"

"I told you I don't know yet." Sakura replied. "The only reason I'm throwing out villain names is because they're usually more memorable than the heroes. Well, I guess I'll talk to my uncle. He probably knows a few good characters to go as."

"It's just a costume party." Hana reminded them. "There's no need to dress up as specific characters."

"In that case, I'll probably go dressed up as a generic mage or something like that."

"Good for you," Aya said. "But I'm dressing up as someone great and legendary."

"Oh?" Koto asked. "Who is it?"

"Yeah, who is it?" Michiko Takeshima asked. Aya grinned.

"Cao Cao from Dynasty Warriors of course…!"

There was complete and utter silence. And then everyone burst out laughing. "HEY!" Aya protested. "It's not supposed to be funny you jerks!"

"It's not." Sakura said a few moments later. She wiped a tear from her eye. "It's just that that's so, well, _you_ that we couldn't help laughing over it."

"That's true."

"She said it."

"No kidding."

"You people are such a bunch of jerks." Aya said, sticking out her tongue at them. "But it's not untrue either, so never mind I guess. What about you Koto, Michiko? Who or what will you dress up as?"

"We'll be dressing us Hana's ladies-in-waiting, so…" Koto said with a sideways glance at Michiko and Hana. "Sorry."

"Whatever for…?" Sakura asked, before leaning back against the stone wall. Tilting her head up, she glanced at the sky above, she and her friends having taken lunch on the roof. "Well, there's still a week left. A mage…? It'll do for now, but hopefully I'll find something more noticeable before then."

"That's the spirit." Aya said, giving Sakura a thumb up. The other girls nodded their agreement, and Sakura nodded her acceptance. And then the lunch bells rang the end of lunch break, and the girls began gathering their things and trash before heading back down for afternoon class.

* * *

"Did you wait long?" Kariya Matou asked as Aoi Tohsaka stepped into the car and sat on the driver's side seat.

"Not really," she replied. Kariya undid the brake, and drove off down the street and around the corner. As they drove by the golden light of the afternoon washed their surroundings red and orange, and filtered through the car's tinted windows. "Only about as long as one of our trips to the grocery, more or less."

Kariya winced. "Yeah, sorry about that." He said. "I got held up more than I expected at the last bank."

"Bank…?" Aoi echoed, and then gave Kariya an once-over. Though the jacket was off and the tie loosened, Kariya was clearly dressed in a business ensemble. "Running errands again…?"

Kariya sighed. "That's right." He said. "I had to visit several banks, and even a couple of lawyers. Honestly, being the old man's proxy is a pain."

Aoi smiled sympathetically. "He's got other things to attend to I guess." She said.

"I know that. It doesn't make it any less of a pain though." Kariya replied before giving Aoi a smile. "But enough of my bitching, and sorry for making you listen to it: how was your day?"

"Less tiring than yours," Aoi replied. "But boring you could say: I just do what I do every day. I wash up after breakfast, clean what needs be cleaned, and prepare dinner ahead of time – things like that."

"You know there's a Chinese saying about interesting times…"

"I know." Aoi said with a sigh. "It doesn't make me feel any less bored though."

Kariya smiled and shrugged. "If it's any comfort," he said. "That we'd meet like this for our daily grocery trip was something I'd been looking forward to all day."

"Well then I'm glad to have been of use in some way." Aoi said with a cheeky smile, and they shared a laugh. "Though to be honest, I feel the same way."

"I see." Kariya said. "You're welcome."

"Likewise,"

Sharing a smile at each other, the two spent the rest of the trip in silent enjoyment of each other's company. Their daily grocery trips had started about two years ago, when Kariya had run into Aoi in the supermarket. Like many Japanese homemakers, Aoi didn't stock up on fresh fruit and vegetables, only buying enough for a day and visiting the supermarket daily for the freshest produce possible.

It was after that meeting that Kariya had adopted the practice, and from there the daily trips became a shared routine between him and Aoi, Kariya driving them both to and from their homes, and doing their groceries together while spending time and chatting with each other. Aoi also helped refine Kariya's skills in the kitchen, which both surprised and impressed the rest of his family.

Today was just another one of those all-too-routine but quietly cherished times together. Kariya closed the driver's door as Aoi went on ahead, and after checking the lock followed after her. Aoi was waiting for him inside, and she offered him a grocery basket as he approached. As he stepped beside her and took the basket, she linked an arm around one of his, and with a smile and a nod proceeded with their daily grocery shopping.

* * *

"Oh, good timing the two of you." Zouken said as he walked out to meet his grandchildren. "There's something I want to show you. Your uncle's only just arrived, so come along now."

They didn't arrive together of course, apart from Sakura and Shinji who both went to the same local public elementary school. It was just coincidence that they arrived at the property all at the same time, in Kariya's case after dropping off Aoi and her groceries at the Tohsaka property.

Shrugging at each other, the two Matou children followed their grandfather into the living room. Kariya was already there, looking at a life-sized portrait with an expression of surprise and awe on his face. He wasn't the only one doing so soon enough.

"Well," Zouken asked. "What do you think?"

The portrait was that of a tall, platinum-blonde woman with hair reaching down to her waist, dressed in a flowing robe of silver adorned with seven large golden rings embroidered down its front. A towering mitre-like headdress adorned her head, and a pair of cool, but piercing and bright red eyes stared out from the portrait.

And that was exactly the point.

The colours of the paint were vivid and alive, breathing life into astonishingly-realistic features and details. In fact, if they didn't know better it was almost as if the woman in the portrait could step out of the frame and into the living room on a moment's notice.

As it was, Justeaze Lizrich von Einzbern coolly and perhaps judgmentally stared out into the living room, arms held out low to the sides, backlit by a large stained glass window behind her. The central details were obscured by the sorceress' figure, but a starburst from the centrepiece could be clearly discerned.

"It's…it's unbelievable." Sakura breathed. "It's not just the colours, or even the details or the subject. It's the whole thing. And the attention put into the whole…it's clearly not just Lady Justeaze's depiction that attention was given to, but even the background is no less detailed, vivid, or even _alive_."

"What Sakura said," Shinji said with a nod. "You did this? How long? And how?"

Zouken shrugged, lighting the beeswax candles around and before the portrait. "Yes, I did this." He answered. "I painted it over the past year and a half and with only honest effort on my part. It was I'll admit hard work and even frustrating and disheartening on more than one occasion, but here we are at last, and it's completely worth it. And as for your last question, you forget I was born a boyar."

As the family stared at him, Zouken smiled smugly. "Muscovy was and is quite far from the centres of art and culture at the time, but with power and wealth I managed to get the expected education of a noble." He remarked.

As eyes again turned back to Justeaze's portrait, silence fell for several more moments before Kariya spoke up. "Why now though?" he asked.

"I wanted to make this place seem more alive." Zouken said. "It took time, but this works as a fine first step to do just that. And also, I…"

Zouken trailed off, and though Kariya, Shinji, and Sakura glanced at him he didn't continue. After a few moments they turned back to stare at Justeaze's portrait.

 _Back then, if I had a reminder, something to keep her memory fresh and alive, or at least on the forefront, then maybe…_

… _maybe I wouldn't have wasted so much time…_

The Matou family is an old family that goes back 500 years. Originally nobles from Russia, they migrated to Japan 200 years ago, and have steadily declined since then. Currently there are only four members left in the family, but despite predictions of ruin the family seems to have gained a second wind over the past near-decade. Whether or not this is true revival has yet to be seen however.

After all, all fortune must be balanced by equal misfortune.

* * *

A/N

And here we go: the prelude to the next story arc. Just a fluffy chapter, with no direct references and only the vaguest hints to the supernatural…

On Zouken's Russian name, according to a Russian reader 'Makiri' is actually a valid variation of 'Makari' in some Russian dialects. 'Zolgen' also works as a Russianized German surname.

As for the Einzbern being just a bunch of effective automatons at this point, I'm aware but no one outside of the 'family' knows this. Also, homunculi have the ability to evolve much like AI (which they effectively are), most just don't have opportunity/need to develop higher-level functions like Iri did given they spend all their time in that castle of theirs. Jubstacheit as the 'family head'/overseer AI has those higher-level functions (even in canon he has that fundamental Human trait and all it comes with: pride), as would homunculi he entrusts with dealing with outside business (or they developed them in the course of their performance).

Finally one question for my readers: how do you feel about character death?


	20. Chapter 19

Disclaimer: I do not own the Fate franchise it belongs to Kinoko Nasu and Type-Moon.

Jewels and Crows

Chapter 19

The night before the weekend, an incident erupted that would precipitate everything that would follow after. A merchantman carrying sugar, bananas, and other tropical produce from South America was picked up on approach by Fuyuki Port Control on radar. Though it's arrival was anticipated, its refusal to open communications and full speeded approach to the city was a cause for concern.

Japanese coastguard ships were immediately dispatched to intercept and investigate, only for all contact to be lost after boarding. And now…

" _Rio Grande_ , this is Fuyuki Port Control, please respond!" a radio operator at the port control center shouted into his headset. " _Rio Grande_ , this is Fuyuki Port Control, please respond!"

"Station chief," one of the operators said to their superior. "The _Rio Grande_ has entered the harbor, and is continuing to approach at full speed."

"It can't be helped." The station chief said after a moment. He looked out the windows and tried in vain to see the _Rio Grande_ 's lights as it surged into the harbor. Instead he glanced at the radar display and swallowed dryly. "It's moving too fast our tugboats won't stand a chance. Sound the alarm! Clear its path and the estimated point of impact, and inform the relevant emergency services! Hurry!"

"Yes sir!"

Alarms screamed across the port, and port personnel quickly cleared the designated zones in a rush of men and vehicles. In the water, other ships along the _Rio Grande_ 's path moved quickly to avoid a collision, save for a single barge that had to be abandoned by its crew, the small vessel having no time to build up steam to get out of the way. The small explosion caused by the barge's cargo of fuel as it was crushed by the larger vessel wreathed the latter's prow in fire, highlighting it as it sped towards the docks.

Even at full speed though, it took the merchantman twenty minutes to make landfall, enough time for the heavy cranes to move most of what was on the docks before the station chief ordered the crane personnel to evacuate. It was a rather impressive sight, it had to be admitted, the massive bulk of the merchantman as it rushed towards the concrete docks.

And then with a thunderous sound of tearing metal and breaking stone the _Rio Grande_ slammed into the docks, its prow visibly collapsing in on itself from the force of impact. Several feet of the docks were likewise crushed, debris flying out along with spray, but as the inertia was expended the ship ground to a halt.

But its engines were still going, and strove to push the ship forward. The ruination of the ship's prow had altered the balance of forces within the ship's hull however, and as the port personnel watched and metal groaned the merchantman _bent_ sideways, the ship's own power slamming its stern against a concrete pier stretching out to sea.

Again stone broke, but the pier's integrity was stronger than inertia, the ship's hull giving way and causing water to flood into its stern and into the engine room. Steam and smoke erupted along with several small explosions as electric systems shorted out and leaking fuel ignited, air pockets exploding before the ship finally slumped and settled into the harbor.

Port personnel immediately rushed to secure the area, firetrucks and ambulances standing by as tech crews and security personnel rushed aboard. The former rushed to secure the ship's bridge, and if possible the engine room, while the security teams fanned out to secure the ship.

And elsewhere, with all eyes focused on the wrecked ship and the questions it brought, a woman and her hounds make landfall.

 _The game's afoot._

* * *

The following day was warm and bright despite the onset of autumn, the light blue sky scattered with billowing white clouds, of the sort people see shapes in. "You're joking, right?" Shinji asked, leaning against the doorframe. "You're dressing up as an NKVD officer?"

Sakura's reply was to throw a black leather glove at Shinji's face. " _Ты непатриотично!_ " she shouted mock-angrily at him. " _Я должен был ты выстрелил!_ "

"Right," Shinji said with a roll of his eyes. He picked up the glove, and walking over handed it to her. "I'm unpatriotic and you're going to have me shot."

Sakura just snorted, and taking the glove slipped it on followed by its pair. "Help me with my greatcoat please." She said. Shinji nodded, and picking up the greatcoat from her bed helped Sakura put it on. Belting it around her waist, she then slipped her hands around her neck and pushed her ponytail out behind her.

"How do I look?" she asked as she put on the blue cap with the red band and Soviet insignia.

" _Перейти к Сталинграду, младшей сестре?_ " he asked, and Sakura laughed.

" _Какой путь в Берлин?_ " she asked back, and this time shared a laugh with her brother.

"What about your ribbon?" Shinji asked as he followed Sakura out of her room.

"What about it?"

"Well, you usually wear it all the time so…"

Sakura looked at him disbelievingly. "Do you really think the NKVD much less any soldier on the field would wear a red ribbon on their brow?" she asked.

"Guess not," Shinji answered sheepishly. "It's just that it's unusual seeing you without it."

"Sometimes a part of me wonders why I still wear it." Sakura replied softly.

"But, isn't a gift from your, well, a gift from Tohsaka?"

Sakura was silent, and Shinji decided not to say anything until they reached the ground floor. Kariya was waiting, but before he could say anything Sakura stopped walking and turned to Shinji. "That's the whole point." She said, and Shinji briefly looked taken aback before a troubled expression of understanding flickered over his face. Sakura looked away and walked towards Kariya. "Either you cut your hair, or you tie it back, as far as I know is the rule among female soldiers."

Coming to a halt before their uncle Sakura passably came to attention, followed by a playful salute. "Commissar Matou, reporting for duty, sir!" she said with a smile.

Kariya blinked, and smiled. Reaching down he fixed her collar before giving a playful salute of his own. "At ease, commissar." He said, and Sakura relaxed.

"NKVD?" Zouken asked, walking out from behind them. "I have to say I never expected you to make such a choice."

Zouken walked up to Sakura and looked down at the eleven-year-old girl. She looked back up at him, and then with a smile he patted her on her cap. "Be on your best behavior." He said. "Even while having fun, alright?"

"Yes."

Zouken nodded, first at Sakura, and then at Kariya. "Alright," Kariya said, opening front door. "Shall we go Sakura? You might be late for your friend's party."

"Okay."

* * *

A certain platinum-blonde priestess sat at a seafood restaurant along the Fuyuki waterfront, sitting Japanese-style in a private booth and enjoying a meal of tuna sashimi. Approaching footsteps that stopped outside her booth's door drew her attention, and after a moment the door slid open to reveal her father.

"Another order of tuna sashimi please." Caren said to the waiter who'd guided her father. "And sea urchin as well. And two orders of green tea please."

"Yes ma'am." The man said with a bow, and closed the door behind Kirei.

Caren stayed silent as her father took a seat. "How are you paying for this?" he asked.

"I'm not." She said. Kirei sighed.

"Freeloader." He accused, and then took one of the sashimi and ate it. A moment later and there was a knock before the door was opened.

"Please pardon the interruption." The waitress said as she served two cups of green tea before departing with a bow.

"We can afford to enjoy ourselves once in a while." Caren said once the door was closed.

"True," Kirei said. "But I'd have preferred a more festive occasion. Oh well, what's done is done. I might as well enjoy this place you've found."

Caren nodded, and took a sip of her tea. "Well?" she said. "How did the matter go?"

"Someone or something troublesome has come to the city." Kirei said. "Magical residue is all over the ship, but of a kind I've never seen before. And I'm speaking in general terms."

"That unorthodox, huh?" Caren asked. "So we're dealing with either a heretic or a vampire. What a wonderful choice of poisons."

"Heretics or vampires." Kirei corrected. "More likely the former, but I'm certain there was more than one person involved in what happened. True, it could have been familiars assisting, but I believe we should trust the old saying in this matter: hope for the best, but prepare for the worst."

Caren nodded her agreement. "When do you intend to inform the Supervisor of this development?" she then asked.

"It'll have to wait until we finish damage control." Kirei replied. "There are some suspicious aspects to this incident that can't be allowed to remain in the public record. For starters, we have the fate of the crew and the coastguard. Apparently they were eaten alive or fed to some sort of chimera."

"How are you certain?"

"The bite marks on the bones left behind are similar to those of large canines," Kirei began. "But dogs don't usually have poisonous and mildly-acidic saliva, which those things apparently did."

"I see."

"There's also fingerprint and DNA evidence, which lead to further issues." Kirei continued. "It's not simply because it could lead to someone or something the mundane authorities had better leave alone, but the fact that a single person could kill a crew of over half a hundred people. I'll admit the latter isn't beyond the abilities of mundane individuals, and by itself is something we could leave alone, but the former reason is another matter entirely."

"Quite," Caren agreed with a nod. "By the way, didn't the ship have security cameras aboard? That could prove problematic as well."

"Fortunately that matter has already been dealt with." Kirei said. "The security cameras aboard, or rather their recordings, have been destroyed. Whoever the culprit or culprits behind this incident was or were, they weren't completely ignorant about covering their tracks."

"Well that's one less problem for us to deal with." Caren said with a sigh.

"Yes," Kirei agreed. "I'll take care of destroying or replacing the evidence. However, I have another task for you. Get in touch with the archbishop in Tokyo, and inform him of the incident. Apparently the ship's last port of call was Buenaventura in Colombia. It's a Catholic country, so we have plenty of assets there. Who knows? There might be something bigger behind this, and we might want to investigate."

Caren nodded. "I understand." She said. "I'll take care of it."

Kirei nodded, the priest and priestess turning their heads to the door as the waitress knocked, slid the door open, and served their meals. "But first," Kirei said as the door was closed. "Let's finish this meal of ours."

"Quite," Caren said, before crossing herself and saying grace.

* * *

"Enjoying yourself?"

Sakura hummed and then smiled at the approaching Aya. "Yes." She said. "The food and company is nice, though I probably should join more games, no?"

Aya laughed at that. "You probably should." She agreed. "Though, if you're having fun I suppose that's good enough. Nice costume, though if it weren't for the hammer and sickle on that hat of yours I'd think you're _kempeitai_."

"Weren't imperial army uniforms dark green, not khaki?"

Aya shrugged. "I guess so." She said. "So what's your costume supposed to be?"

"An NKVD officer."

"What the NKVD?"

"The People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs."

Aya stared blankly, and Sakura sighed. "Think of it as a Russian version of the _kempetai_." She said.

"Then why didn't you say so in the first place?" Aya asked crossly. Sakura raised an eyebrow, locking eyes with her friend for a moment before the two of them snickered at each other.

"Speaking of nice costumes," Sakura said. "Mine doesn't even come close to yours. Cao Cao, right? Well it's Dynasty Warriors so it's probably not historically accurate, but it's certainly much more eye-catchy than mine."

Which wasn't an exaggeration, even without her greatcoat, Sakura's costume was rather plain, simply khaki Red Army field wear with rank badges on her shoulders, brass buttons, and an ornamental buckle. In contrast, Aya was wearing elaborate Han Dynasty court dress in rich blue, edged and richly-embroidered with gold, the pauldrons, sash and boots sporting metallic plates with elaborate designs, and topped off by a calf-length cape of rich violet.

Only Sakura's officer cap, blue with a red stripe and a black visor, the former pinned with a gold-edged red star bearing the hammer and sickle of the Soviet Union in gold, gave her a point against Aya's costume. Speaking of which…

"Didn't Chinese courtiers have elaborate headdresses depending on court rank?" Sakura asked.

Aya cursed, and stalked off for a few moments. When she came back, she was wearing the traditional coronet of a high-ranking Chinese courtier. "Sorry about that." She said. "But unlike your cap, this takes quite a bit to get used to, it seems."

"That's probably true." Sakura conceded. "It's not exactly everyday wear, after all…"

Sakura trailed off, something seemingly catching her attention, causing her to look away, up at the sky with surprise and veiled concern. "What's wrong?" Aya asked, looking up and causing her coronet to fall off.

Aya's exclamation at that dragged Sakura back to reality. "Nothing," she said, looking back at Aya as the other girl stood back up, fixing her coronet back on her head. "It's just something I remembered, but nothing really important."

"Is that so? Well I guess it's fine then."

"Yes, it is."

* * *

Shirou knew he was being followed.

He didn't know it at the time, but even when he left his house earlier that morning for morning practice at the Fujimura property, something felt off. Like someone was watching him, following him, judging him, waiting for an opportunity to present itself. In hindsight, it was probably his sense of danger, born of his past brushes with death, that was warning him that not everything was it seemed, and the peace of the weekend was an illusion.

He'd been tense through the whole morning, like a wound-up spring, and while it helped his reflexes and allowed him to keep up more than he usually did against Taiga and her grandfather's retainers, it also gave off a jumpy impression to others.

" _Geez Shirou," Taiga had teased him. "The way you're tensed up, it's like you've got a serial killer after you."_

It was then that he realized that yes, it was as though he was waiting subconsciously for someone to pounce out at him, swinging a knife or holding a gun or a mystic code or simply spitting fire or some other magic. And considering his father's history, well…

" _Fuji-nee,_ " Shirou thought as he slowly walked down the street, heading back home after lunch at the Fujimura property after morning practice. " _You shouldn't say things like that. It's bad luck, you know?_ "

Glancing warily around him, Shirou stopped walking in the middle of a three-way intersection. "Come on out." He shouted. "I know you're there. I know you're following me, and I want to know why. We don't need to fight if we don't have to, but if we can't talk this out, this place is as good as any. At least here there's no one to get caught between us."

For a long while there was only silence. Then the breeze picked up eerily, blowing strongly through the surrounding trees, and then they came, padding around the corners on either side.

They were like dogs, if dogs had scales instead of fur, crimson flesh visible through the translucent natural armor. Pale flaps of skin stretched between spurs of bone that jutted out of their necks, and asphalt hissed as acidic saliva dripped down from jagged and curved teeth.

Shirou narrowed his eyes, slowly backing down the other road as the monsters – alchemical chimeras probably – closed in from either side, making certain to make no sudden movements that could provoke them. The chimeras followed, also moving slowly, either out of certainty their prey could not escape, or wariness at prey which could still lash out.

Suddenly, one of the chimeras leaped forward snarling at Shirou. "Trace on!" he whispered, reinforcing his limbs as he jumped back and avoiding the creature. It landed lightly on its feet and jumped forward to press the attack, but Shirou was ready.

Sidestepping the chimera's jump, Shirou grabbed its tail, and with a shout hurling the chimera back. It slammed against the railing on the sidewalk hard enough to dent the metal before falling to the ground. Shirou looked on warily as it came to its feet groggily, shaking its head, and then turning to look back at Shirou with the rest of its pack warily.

Shirou stared back just as warily, but then his sense tugged at him, and he glanced over a shoulder. "Damn it." He snarled. Coming up from behind was another pack of chimeras.

One of the beasts growled at him, and the first pack resumed its advance. Shirou backed down, not stopping until he was in the middle of the street between the two packs. Agains, all movement stilled, as though predator and prey were weighing the opportunities.

It took only a moment.

With a collective snarl, several of the beasts bounded forward, powerful forms stretching and contracting as they ran towards their prey, acidic saliva hissing on the asphalt below. With enough force to crack the road they leaped forward, to bring their prey down, and rend him as he lay helpless on the ground.

"Trace on!"

There was a flash of light, the sound of flesh being struck through, and pathetic whining sounds. Six chimeras twitched as they were impaled by stakes of stone, Shirou having fallen to his knees to lay his hands against the ground, and altered the stone of the road into the same stakes which had killed the first wave.

The abrupt death of six of their own caught the chimeras off-guard, and causing them to freeze. With a shout, Shirou again altered the road, his section sinking into a distended crater as he raised a wall on one side and cutting off the pack on that side.

Snarling at the pincer being ruined, the other pack leapt forward, but again Shirou altered the road, the entire pack dying with hot blood cascading down stone stakes as Shirou ran past. As he ran back to the intersection, his reinforced senses sensed more enemies approaching.

"Trace on." He said his aria again. Blue lines shot through the concrete as he swept his hand over the wall, stone flowing like water to encase both hands with concrete gauntlets.

Shirou punched his fists together as he turned the corner, and fell into a stance barely two steps down the street. The first chimera found itself unceremoniously brained as it leapt at Shirou, who crushed a second chimera's head with an elbow before kicking a third aside without breaking a breath.

He then leaped forward, jumping off another chimera to flip through the air and behind the pack. His hands slammed down against the stone, and again, stone stakes lanced out of the ground and into the beasts. "You're going to have to do better than that!" he shouted.

As though in response, an arrow narrowly missed his head and buried itself at least two inches into the road.

 _Me and my big mouth._

Shouting in alarm Shirou ran down the street, veering wildly back and forth across the street and narrowly avoiding the arrows flying down at him. "Enough!" he shouted, twisting his body to slam back against the wall. "Trace on!"

Blue lines shot through concrete, stone flowing to cover Shirou. And then it shifted, forming smooth curves and defined features, until Shirou was encased in a stone suit of Japanese armor, just like the one he saw in the display in the Fujimura mansion (the only difference being that one wasn't made of stone).

"Reinforced!" Shirou shouted in triumph, blue lines shooting out over his armor as he stepped back out onto the street. Arrows flew down at him, only to break with small sprays of sparks against his armor. "Can we stop this please? If you've got a problem, we can just…"

In the distance there was a powerful surge of prana, so large that even Shirou with his average potential (his aligned origin and affinity aside) could sense. An explosion followed, smoke and debris erupting into the air before a defined form appeared through the smoke, hissing loudly. And behind his visor his eyes widened.

"Oh come on." He said, slumping down. In the distance screams began to be heard, followed by shouts of alarm as the monster surged forward, plowing through walls and houses as it drove towards Shirou.

"GIANT SNAKE!"

Shirou could only stare as the giant monster charged towards him while people peeked out of their windows and doors at the abomination. Cue the screaming and running, the boy in stone samurai armor ignored due to the much bigger giant snake.

Shirou grit his teeth, and slammed his hands together. "I'm not running away you bastard!" he spat. "This was only between you and me. Involving other people…IT'S UNFORGIVABLE! TRACE ON!"

Prana flashed as Shirou pulled his hands aside, prana materializing into the naginata he saw mounted on a wall in the Fujimura mansion. And then he gasped as the snake loomed down overhead, and dove down at him.

"What?" Shirou gasped, and then he was jumping up and to the side, avoiding the giant snake's attack by leaping onto a roof and then back across a street and onto another house as the giant snake reared up and diving down plowed through the first house as well.

"Damn it!" Shirou swore. "I need to end this now!"

Stone breaking beneath his feet, Shirou jumped and forward, naginata held firmly in both hands as he leaped at the giant snake. The monster snarled and hissed, its maws opening wide to swallow Shirou whole. Shouting incoherently, Shirou landed in the creature's mouth, the naginata stabbing up through the roof and into the monster's brain.

A thunderous roar nearly knocked Shirou unconscious as the monster screamed in agony, its death throes nearly knocking him off his feet and sliding down its throat. Gritting his teeth in resolve and disgust alike, Shirou roared as he twisted the naginata, and pushed it forward in a downward arc that tore the monster's brain apart.

With a last cry of agony, the snake reared up, and then collapsed dead across a whole block.

For several long moments, there was silence, broken only by the sound of collapsing masonry and falling glass and other building materials. And then coughing could be heard through the debris, a boy in filthy stone samurai armor crawling out of the dead monster's mouth and into the open.

Breathing hard, Shirou placed his hands on his knees to catch his breath for a couple of minutes. And then getting to his feet, he stared at the dead giant snake before looking around at all the damage to the suburbs. And that was only what he could see.

Shirou sighed, hearing in the distance the sound of emergency sirens. "This is too much." He said, looking up at the sky and at an approaching helicopter. "How the hell am I supposed to keep this secret? Or, how do I cover this up?"

As though answering his question, the helicopter exploded into a fireball, causing Shirou to gasp in shock and surprise. "What…?" he gasped, before screaming as an arrow punched through thinner joint armor and into his elbow.

And in the skies above, great black birds circled.

* * *

A/N

Sorry for the late update, but I've been reading soap here on FanFiction, and it's left my creativity shot over the past week.

Zentari2238: sorry to hear that, but unless I develop the AU characters deeply, a lot of things won't make sense when the war starts.

 _Ты непатриотично!_ = You're unpatriotic!

 _Я должен был ты выстрелил!_ = I should have you shot!

 _Перейти к Сталинграду, младшей сестре?_ = Going to Stalingrad, little sister?

 _Какой путь в Берлин?_ = Which way to Berlin?


	21. Chapter 20

Disclaimer: I do not own the Fate franchise it belongs to Kinoko Nasu and Type-Moon.

Jewels and Crows

Chapter 20

In the suburbs of Fuyuki City, a matronly woman was softly humming to herself as she tended her garden. Dressed in a grey-belted dress of white with a yellow, wide-brimmed hat to protect her from the Sun, she was on her knees working on her flowerbeds with gloved hands.

Completely-engrossed in her task, she didn't notice a pair of ravens flying down to the ground behind her, and while she noticed their caws, she didn't think much of it. The ravens glanced at each other, and had any been watching they'd been stumped to see one of them give what looked like a shrug.

The other raven then stepped forward, and taking the edge of the woman's dress in its beak, tugged. Aoi Tohsaka jolted in surprise, and looked over her shoulder at the two birds. They cawed at her, and she sighed.

"Go away." She said, making a shooing gesture. They cawed at her again, and she made more shooing gestures before turning back to her flowers. They cawed again, and when she didn't respond the two birds grabbed her dress in their beaks and tugged.

"Stop that!" she snapped over her shoulder and causing the birds to jump back. They cawed at her, and she turned back to her flowers. Again, they took her dress' edge and tugged, and this time, the thoroughly-annoyed Aoi jumped to her feet. "That's enough! Go…!"

"Mother?" Rin said with an alarmed note in her voice as she rushed out of the house. She wore a worried expression on her face. "What's going on? I felt an intrusion so I…"

She trailed off as the ravens flew at her, cawing loudly. One of them flew in circles around her while the other alighted on her arm, raised instinctively to protect her face as the birds flew at her. And then before she could react, it pressed its beak against her forehead.

" _Mom doesn't have magic circuits, and I'd rather not risk telepathy on someone who doesn't have them._ " A familiar-sounding voice echoed in her head, Rin instinctively opening her mental barriers to her sister's mind.

"Sakura?" Rin asked incredulously, and causing Aoi to slump with pink cheeks.

"Oh right," the older woman said. "Sakura uses ravens and crows as familiars. Still…"

Aoi paused to draw herself up, glaring down at the other raven which was now standing on the ground in front of her. "Don't pull my – or any other people's – dress like that." She admonished with a raised finger. "That's very rude."

The raven looked suitably-chastised, but then it raised its head and cawed. Rin tilted her head as though listening to something only she could hear – which wasn't far from the truth – and then glanced at her mother. "Sakura says she's sorry, but she needed to catch your attention." She said. "Apparently she needed to see me quickly, but while her familiars can slip through the outer bounded fields – so long as they're fully-active – she doesn't want to risk the ones protecting the house."

"Alright, but why couldn't she come in person?" Aoi conceded before an uncomfortable expression appeared on her face. "She lives just a few minutes' walk or so from here."

Rin glanced at the bird, and after a moment raised an eyebrow. "Apparently it'll take too long to get here." She said. "Sakura's at a birthday party somewhere else in the city."

"Well," Aoi said after a moment's thought. "That's a valid excuse I suppose. It would be rude too to leave in the middle of festivities."

The raven cawed in agreement, and Rin sighed. "Okay," she began. "So what's so important that you needed to see me?"

In response the raven pressed its beak against Rin's forehead again, and after a moment Rin's eyes went wide.

"WHAT?"

* * *

Shirou was used to pain, even more than most magi were.

They never had to walk through a sea of fire as a child after all. They never had to breathe air searing-hot and choked with ash and embers on the wind. And they most certainly never had had to kill their own Humanity, to consciously ignore and walk past the pleas of people burning alive in a literal hell-scape.

The worst they likely knew as pain was the fire of magic circuits filling with prana, which dulled in time to become mere numbness as their bodies attuned themselves to the alien sensation of prana filling their circuits. Compared to what Shirou had gone through, it was barely worth commenting on.

Indeed, he didn't even feel pain when his circuits had been opened for the first time. He had gotten dizzy for a minute or two, and that was it.

Walking through hell as a child, having your mind and soul alike scoured clean, rendered a blank slate by the experience, even as his body was cooked alive in a literal hell-scape, did wonders for one's perspective. What was the old saying? There was pain, and then there was pain.

Take a wild guess which of those two Shirou could actually _feel_.

The scream of pain was purely by reflex, and in the next instant he pulled the arrow out of his arm, his body turning and presenting a thickly-armored section to the next salvo. The obsidian head shattered like the glass it was as it struck stone armor, Shirou discarding the previous arrow as he took to the rooftops again, jumping from house to house in the direction the arrows were coming from.

The boy narrowed his eyes behind his visor, briefly glancing at his arm. Despite the arrow punching through his left elbow, even if it hurt like hell to move it, his left arm was still functional, and the flow of blood was ebbing. The arrow must have missed something critical, for which he was thankful for.

Shirou might be right-handed, but the left hand (and arm) could still be useful. He certainly wouldn't be able to use two-handed weapons without it.

With a growl, Shirou noticed the trajectory of the arrows changing. His reinforced eyes also spotted a figure in the distance, much like him jumping from roof to roof. It was still too far away to discern exact features, but whoever it was it was facing him, and was holding what could only be a bow with which it shot the strange, obsidian-tipped arrows at him.

"Trace, on!" Shirou snapped, prana flaring in a hand in the form of a wakizashi. And with expert ease, he began cutting arrows out of the air as he picked up the pace.

There was one interesting aspect of his magecraft, his unique variant of Gradation Air – Tracing – possessed. He'd discovered it entirely by accident, and he'd never told anyone about it, not even Waver.

Just because he possessed different ideals to most of his fellow practitioners, it didn't mean he wasn't a magus. His _personal_ mysteries had secrets which he would keep.

It wasn't just to keep them from being disassembled and potentially replicated (though that was extremely unlikely seeing as Shirou suspected it was a unique consequence of his aligned origin and affinity), though it was a reason. It was also because it was a trump, just in case he came up against someone trying to take advantage of him, believing that thanks to his specialization he could only use Tracing and the various variations of material analysis and transmutation, and use that limitation against him.

That aspect was his ability to 'read' the history of anything he analyzed structurally on the basis of his concept of 'sword'. And if he traced it as a 'sword' then he gained the ability to use whatever he had traced as well.

There was a limitation of course. Tracing was still a variant of Gradation Air, no matter how unique it was. In the end, it was just a tangible illusion, not truly _real_.

They were almost like the real thing. And that was the whole point: almost. And that limitation applied to copied skills. They would always be one level below the real thing. However, unlike the traced object, which would disappear in time, the skills would be kept. And he could hone those skills with further training, until it reached the level of the 'real' thing.

A part of Shirou felt guilty about copying skills, it felt like cheating, that he never truly earned those skills. But another part of him pointed out that he was a magus.

Magi were cheaters by their very nature.

Magecraft after all, was a matter of learning and then manipulating the secrets of the World, and taking advantage of loopholes and such, perform miracles.

And he still had to put in real effort to truly master his copied skills. So in the end, Shirou could uncomfortably accept the head-start he had gained with his copied skills.

Both the traced wakizashi and the skills he gained with it were enough to bolster Shirou's defenses as he closed the gap with his enemy. The enemy was moving in an arc, trying to maintain her distance while raining arrows down on him, but Shirou was slowly closing that distance.

As he approached the edge of another house's roof, Shirou abruptly froze and then jumped back, warned by instinct. An instant later, one of the chimeras from before jumped up in front of him, followed by two others.

The first leaped at him, Shirou tracing a katana and swinging it at the beast. His eyes widened as the traced blade shattered like glass against its scaled skin, the wakizashi following a moment later between the thing's fangs.

Snarling, Shirou allowed himself to fall on his back, taking advantage of the beast's momentum to kick it up and away behind him. As it fell off the roof and down to the ground, Shirou rolled out of the way, and jumping to his feet allowed a second beast to bite down on his left arm. Stone armor cracked but held, and in the next moment Shirou bashed the thing's head with his right elbow.

Tossing away the twitching corpse, he kicked the third beast away, sidestepped the first beast which had jumped back up on the roof, and then grabbing it by the tail, used it smash the second beast down on the roof. Shouting, Shirou body-slammed both beasts, crushing them with his heavily-armored form. Rolling off their bloody corpses, he got up onto a crouch, and narrowly avoided an arrow which streaked past.

It struck a house behind him, and blew a large section of the wall into rubble, the rest of the house following after. "Damn it!" Shirou said angrily, less angry about narrowly avoiding death and more at the collateral damage. Another arrow streaked in, Shirou jumping off the roof which exploded as the arrow struck it.

Landing next to the iron fence, Shirou grabbed it with his hands. "Trace on!" he shouted, prana flashing in glowing lines through the metal.

Paint ignited and burnt away as sparks flew, Shirou using alteration to re-forge the metal even as he reshaped it. Within moments the fence was gone, the boy holding a katana and wakizashi pair in his hands.

Shirou knew they wouldn't really match up against swords forged by real swordsmiths, but together with his copied skills they should be enough. Or so he hoped.

The beasts had negated his traced weapons, and there was a good chance their master could too. If so, then hopefully something _real_ could work where they failed.

 _But why wasn't that big snake from earlier immune to my traced naginata?_

Shirou didn't have more time to ponder the puzzle as another arrow streaked in. This time Shirou _advanced_ , letting the arrow explode behind him as he followed in its wake. Again jumping back on the roof, he dodged arrow after arrow, gritting his teeth at the explosions behind him, reinforcing his legs further as he closed the distance.

 _I'm going to kick this bastard's butt for all the people he's hurt or killed! And then I'm going to hand him over to the Church for all the trouble he's started!_

Eating up the intervening distance, it wasn't long before Shirou saw his enemy clearly. It was a young woman, probably ten or so years older than him, with dark skin and foreign features, her dark hair tied back into a crude bun at the back of her head. Leather armor reinforced with bronze plates over critical areas protected her torso and her limbs, the chest plate forged into the image of a leering, demonic face.

She carried a bow of bone, which she discarded with her quiver as Shirou charged in. "WHO ARE YOU?" Shirou demanded as he entered hearing range. "WHAT DO YOU WANT?"

The woman didn't answer, instead drawing a pair of black obsidian blades from behind her, crossed them and then leaped forward to engage Shirou. Growling, Shirou sheathed the wakizashi at his waist before holding his katana two-handed, and blocked the woman's first blow.

Uncrossing her blades, she rained down high-speed slashes alternately with her swords, sparks flying as she forced Shirou back step by step. As he reached the ledge, Shirou feinted and dodged past, launching a counterattack of his own that woman blocked and riposted.

Shirou jumped back, the woman moving quickly to press the attack. Again, they crossed blades, and then the woman sprang back, her face filled with alarm as she looked at the sky above. Shirou blinked, and cautiously looked up. His eyes widened, watching in shock, surprise, and awe as a translucent pyramid of magical energy descended down, until it had enclosed virtually the entire battlefield from the beginning of the battle until this point within.

"What the…?"

* * *

" _Bounded field complete._ "

"Impressive," Rin said, floating in the air, gems glowing on bracelets and anklets and letting her fly. She lazily flew through the air around the translucent pyramid, a large raven flying beside her. "It's still a bit flashy though."

The raven beside her gave a silent snort. " _Give me some credit here._ " Sakura shot back. " _Only magi and other gifted can actually see it. Well the magic circle in the sky was visible, but you need to actually be looking for it_ _ **and**_ _have good eyesight to see it. And the ones on the ground are masked._ "

Rin nodded, looking up at the pyramid's apex, where a trio of crows had flown along the edges of a glowing magic circle, the familiars allowing Sakura to remotely-deploy her bounded field. And though Rin couldn't see it, four other trios of crows had been at each corner of the pyramid's base, walking along the edges of their circles while a raven stood nearby to project a masking illusion as Sakura used the crows to remotely-deploy the bounded field.

" _You owe me a favor for this._ " Sakura said to Rin's outrage.

"I'm your sister!" Rin protested.

" _I'm doing your job for you._ " Sakura countered. " _And no, you're not, at least not legally. And besides, this and that are two entirely different things._ "

"I could have deployed a bounded field myself you know." Rin grouched.

" _I'm sure you could have._ " Sakura admitted to Rin's surprise. " _And you'd probably do better than me depending on the circumstances. I don't have your level of versatility after all_."

Rin was silent for several moments, still flying with Sakura's familiar beside her, the latter also casting the illusion that would keep her from being noticed. "I sense a 'but' there." She eventually said.

" _Yes._ " Sakura said.

There was a moment of silence, and then a vein began to throb on Rin's forehead. "And?" she prompted through clenched teeth.

The silence was profound for several more moments, and then Sakura replied. " _Sorry about that._ " She said. " _It was my turn popping balloons. Got myself a fox stuffed toy out of it too._ "

Again there was silence. "SAKURA!" Rin shouted.

" _Snippy aren't we?_ " Sakura said with a laugh. " _I'm surprised you haven't noticed it yet though._ "

"Enough games, just tell me already!"

" _Fine, fine,_ " Sakura said with a sigh. " _You'd have cast the bounded field the normal way. And they'd have noticed and either could have escaped or taken hostile action. I mean, they noticed me too, but only towards the end when there was nothing they could do about it. That priest is moving fast, but he's still some time away._ "

"Can your bounded field hold them until he gets here?"

" _And just who do you think my adopted family is?_ " Sakura replied with an offended tone. " _We're not just masters at using familiars…_ "

"Yeah, I noticed that." Rin said with a note of envy. "To think you could cast a three-dimensional bounded field remotely through the use of familiars."

" _We're also masters at absorbing energy. And Fuyuki has a lot of ambient prana. Unless they start throwing out A-rank High Thaumaturgy, there's no way they can overpower the field. They're trapped in there._ "

"Good," Rin said sternly. "Not only are they in _my_ territory without permission, they started trouble. And they're going to tell me why, one way or another."

" _As you wish, supervisor. And don't be so jealous. There are some things you can do that I can't do. You're athletic for one. You have all Five Elements for another. And you can fly, though I guess that falls under wind elemental magecraft too._ "

"Point taken," Rin said, scratching her head. She stopped flying to float in place instead, Sakura's raven flying in circles around her. "Now then, let's wait for Kirei to arrive, shall we?"

* * *

Sparks flew as steel ground against obsidian. Something about the blades didn't feel right to Shirou, and his attempts to 'read' their construction turned his stomach and made his head spin.

It was almost like he didn't want to read them, at least on a subconscious level.

The woman had recovered quickly from the shock of the bounded field sealing their battlefield, and had pressed with almost desperate fury. It seemed that that had not been part of her plan, that there were other magi out there, and they were closing in. And they were not friendly.

It was hard not to blame them really. Their battle had been rather visible, risking shattering the masquerade. And that was something no magus worth the title would dare risk.

The woman had been like a whirlwind, raining blows down on Shirou and forcing him back step by step while disorienting and wearing him down, until she managed to force his guard open and kick him away. That the woman was strong could be felt from her blows. It didn't surprise Shirou then that despite his stone armor, the woman's kick sent him back several steps, and gave an opening that she tried to use to finally cut him down.

Shirou, awkwardly balanced on the edge of a roof, knew he had no chance of stopping her. So he didn't try. Instead, he allowed gravity to get its way, falling backward and avoid a crisscrossing swing of obsidian that would have cut through the thin armor where his helmet met the rest of his armor, and into his neck.

Landing hard on his back, Shirou grit his teeth and held a hand flat against the ground. "Trace on!" he spat, and he felt the ground he was lying on distend downward as matter was altered into a giant fist that sprouted up beside him and shot upwards at the woman.

She dodged the blow, the stone fist smashing the section she'd been standing on to rubble. She ran along the edge for a few feet before jumping down, which gave Shirou time to roll over and looking down the street, plan out a strategy.

"Trace on!" he said, slamming his hand on the ground. Again, the ground distended as a wall rose up, cutting the enemy off. Moments later, and the dozens of spear-like formations sprouted around Shirou, which caught the enemy off-guard as she tried to jump on and off the roof, allowing Shirou to throw several traced shuriken at her. And like Shirou, she let gravity have its way and fell backwards to avoid the projectiles heading her way.

And then there was a sudden surge of prana, much like before when the giant snake had appeared. Shirou narrowed his eyes, unwilling to lose the initiative again.

"I won't let you!" he spat, placing his hands on the ground. "Trace on!"

The woman's eyes widened as the entire road suddenly sagged, and then with a thunderous roar the wall collapsed, a giant stone dragon with Shirou on its head roaring towards her. With a snarl of hate, she jumped back, and then again as they kept at her.

She jumped up a roof as the stone slammed into her summon, stone fangs biting into her serpent's body with a spray of bright blood. The serpent screamed as the dragon tore its throat out and crushed it to the ground, and then Shirou was closing, standing on a fist of stone as it shot out of the stone dragon's side.

Cursing, the woman dodged, only to realize Shirou had seen it coming. Jumping off the fist, he landed in front of the woman, his katana rising in a silver arc. The woman jumped back, crimson droplets flying through the air as Shirou cut a shallow but bleeding gash through the leather of her belly armor.

Grabbing his sword with both hands, Shirou raised it to head level and pointing it at his enemy, charged. The woman dodged the initial attack, and drawing her blades blocked Shirou's follow-up attack. Shirou refused to back down, pressing the attack with powerful overhead blows and side attacks that boxed his enemy in, allowing him to drive her back step by step, until in a reversal of a previous situation managed to kick her off the roof.

Jumping down, he brought sword his down in a two-handed swing, but the woman managed to roll away and to her feet before coming in to counterattack. Steel flashed as Shirou drew his wakizashi, and using it to parry the woman's first strike, used his katana to force her to abandon one of her blades.

Snarling, she leapt back, Shirou throwing the wakizashi after her. She knocked it aside with an armored forearm, and Shirou's eyes went wide as she cut her wrist open. And as blood sprayed out, she hurled her blade at Shirou.

To his shock and horror, saw her blood congeal into fleshy tendrils that wrapped around her blade's hilt, extending out from her wrist like a macabre chain. Shirou dodged the throw, and then dropped as she reeled it in in an arc. "What the hell?" he shouted as he jumped back to his feet.

Laughing, the woman charged at Shirou, sparks flying as she brought her sword up in a slash that staggered the boy. Two more slashes quickly followed one after another, and then Shirou was kicked back several steps before the woman grabbed her other blade with those same tendrils of solidified blood from before, and pulled it back into her hand.

Crossing both blades in front of her, she charged, uncrossing them at the last moment to launch a whirlwind-like series of blows that staggered Shirou. A series of powerful slashes followed before she feinted, dropping to kick out Shirou's legs instead.

As the boy fell, she rose up, her blades coming down at his shoulders to take his arms off. Sparks flew as Shirou brought his katana up in time, two pairs of golden eyes meeting as steel and obsidian ground at each other. And then Shirou brought a leg up, and kicked the woman away.

Skidding back, she crossed her blades again as Shirou jumped to his feet, his sword held two-handed before him.

Silence fell, the two combatants breathing heavily. Shirou's armor was covered in scratches and was cracked in places, while his left arm was covered in dry blood. The woman's armor was less damaged, though blood stained the leather of her belly.

Several moments passed, and then their bodies tensed, prepared to continue to battle. And then out of nowhere, several Black Keys rained on the intervening space, catching their attention.

Both combatants turned their heads in surprise, at a black-robed priest standing on a roof a good distance away. "My goodness," the priest said, running a hand through his hair. "You seem to be in something of a tight spot, aren't you Shirou Emiya?"

Kirei Kotomine smiled, flexing his hands in front of him. And clenching them into fists, materialized more Black Keys between his fingers.

"Shall I lend you a hand?"

* * *

A/N

Having living (familiars are usually made from dead animals) familiars is a two-way street. Even for someone as young – and thus not as mentally or spiritually-compromised by age like Zouken is in canon – as Sakura is. Something to keep in mind for what's to come.

Rin can fly. Why not? She's better-trained than in canon, so I figured a genius like her could pull something as simple as magically-sustained flight off, especially with the wind element at her disposal.

Besides, everyone's upgraded from their canon selves, so let's show them off shall we?

Thepkrmgc: no, it's just one of Kiri's old enemies on Shirou's tail.

DarkJackel: Shirou already knows tracing (as this chapter makes clear), it's just that you can't find Noble Phantasms in a convenience story.


End file.
